An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise 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 responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
