An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the importance of robust protocols and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from vehicle use to communication habits.
