An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to communication practices.
