A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to communication habits.
