An defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the importance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official operations, from transport use to discussions practices.
