An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
