A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
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 MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
