An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to communication habits.
