A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
