An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
