An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
