An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
