Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Investigating Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader security situation highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of government operations, from transport use to communication habits.
