An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
