An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car 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 car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
