An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if 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 devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
