A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
