A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether 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 discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
This broader defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in all areas of government operations, including vehicle use to communication practices.
