A defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication habits.
