Minister States Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, with Staff Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.
