A defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
