A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
