An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
