A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to communication practices.
