Alicia Kearns MP used an urgent statement on foreign interference to warn ministers that China poses systemic risks to UK infrastructure, academia and defence mobility, raising specific concerns about “dual use kill switches in Chinese made electric buses” and chips in Ministry of Defence vehicles that require personnel “to be silent whilst travelling around our country.”
Kearns said the UK is facing “an ever growing list of actions by the Chinese Communist Party, interfering in our sovereign affairs and trying to undermine our democracy and our country.” Citing alerts from Norway and Denmark about remotely activated shutdown functions in Chinese-built buses, she pressed the government for an update on the investigation into British transport systems.
She also demanded clarity on components installed in defence vehicles, warning that such vulnerabilities could create operational and personal risk for service personnel.
She linked the issue to coercion on UK campuses. Referring to the case of Sheffield Hallam University, she said Chinese security services had “blackmailed” the institution into cancelling research into Uyghur forced labour. She asked for an update on the police investigation and argued that government engagement with vice-chancellors is “inadequate” because universities respond with “naivety and intransigence.”
Kearns criticised ministers for what she characterised as weak deterrence. She noted that after the collapse of the case involving parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash, the government issued “the same rhetorical tap on the knuckles” to Beijing. She also cited threats against activist Chloe Chung and asked why visits by ministers to China were still being planned.
Her core argument was that the government has the tools but is not using them. She urged ministers to place China in the enhanced tier of the Foreign Influence Registration scheme, cancel upcoming bilateral trade talks and consider sanctions.
Dan Jarvis, responding for the government, acknowledged the seriousness of the threat and defended the package announced earlier in the day. He said the measures aimed at economic, academic, cyber and espionage risks form a “comprehensive package” and promised further action if required. Jarvis announced that coordination will run through a new counter political interference and espionage plan in the Cabinet Office and pointed to spending on sovereign encrypted capability and counterintelligence support.
He stressed that the government has completed the removal of Chinese-manufactured surveillance equipment from sensitive sites and highlighted the new Cyber Security and Resilience Bill. On the Foreign Influence Registration scheme, he said the government is “looking closely” at whether China should be added to the enhanced tier but “no decision has yet been made.”
Jarvis defended ministerial engagement with Beijing, arguing that direct contact is necessary to deliver “strong and coherent messages.” He declined to comment on Sheffield Hallam while inquiries are ongoing and said national security remains central to the decision on the new Chinese embassy site.
He concluded by promising continued cooperation with MPs raising these issues, stating that the government will take “tough choices” where needed to protect national security.
Really they accuse Farage of Russian connections yet this lot seem to be exposing themselves as Chinese assets daily!
“national security remains central to the decision on the new Chinese embassy site.”
But whose national security?
Chinese-made cars appear to pose a serious security risk that can’t be mitigated other than by restricting their access to this market. Easier to just bury one’s head in the sand though.
Britain is about the only major economy that does not put a tariff on Chinese electric vehicles. Instead they dump them here & undercut & close our factories. If Rachel needs money, then a 15 to 20% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles would be a good start.
Not a bad idea to be honest but the only issue is the Uk and china have very balanced car import and export.. we sell them 4 billion of UK cars we buy 4 billion of Chinese cars.. so until that changes there will not be a tariff.
Shame on the Mayor of London for buying Chinese buses when Dennis Alexander is short of orders.
Public money subsidising Chinese nationalised industries is outrageous
Quote from the BBC website.
“Scottish Labour MP for Falkirk, Euan Stainbank, said: “The reality is the company has not had a consistent pipeline of work because the SNP has been selling out Scottish workers by buying too many buses from abroad.
“Greater Manchester bought more than five times as many buses from Alexander Dennis in Falkirk than the entire Scottish government scheme to date.”
I’m beginning to see why labour needs to replace Starmer with Andy Burnham.
FARCICAL
And still we forget china is a communist that means every Chinese company is part of chinese state power and a tool of the communist party.