An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
