A defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
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 information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government operations, from transport usage to discussions practices.
