An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
