An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection 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 vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including vehicle usage to communication habits.
