An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
