An defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
