A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
