A defense minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
