An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
