An defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from transport use to communication habits.
