A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
