A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
