A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety 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 very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
