A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
