A defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
This wider security situation highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
