A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
