A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
