An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been advised to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles 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 people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
