A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent 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 Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
