A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
