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A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.

Security Advice for Defence Staff

In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.

The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.

We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.

But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is 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 cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Defence Background

This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.

This wider security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of official operations, including transport usage to communication practices.