Government Official States Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Staff Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of official operations, from vehicle usage to communication practices.
