A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
