A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
