A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in all 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 every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of robust protocols and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
