Government Official States Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The broader security situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions practices.