An defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The announcement 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 allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to communication habits.
