An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.