An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in all modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
