An defense official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including transport use to communication practices.
