A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
