A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles 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 staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport use to communication habits.
