An defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret 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 ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
