An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
