An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
