An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment underscores the importance of strong measures and caution in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
