Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Told to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
