Minister Confirms MoD Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Advised to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defense minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet 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 MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
