An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
