An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
