An defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport usage to discussions habits.
