A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping 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 safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions habits.
