An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
