An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
