An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
