A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to communication practices.
