Minister States MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Staff Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
