A defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
