An defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
