Government Official Says MoD Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, as Staff Advised to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official operations, including vehicle usage to communication practices.