A defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.
