An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
