A defence official has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
