A defence official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
