A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
