A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence situation highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
