An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
