A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport use to communication habits.
