A defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
