An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
