An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has 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, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from transport usage to discussions practices.
