A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
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 is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport use to communication habits.
