An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle use to communication practices.
