A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
