A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
