An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to communication practices.
