An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
