A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones 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 car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
