An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
