A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
