A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including transport use to communication habits.
