A defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions habits.
