An defence minister has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider security situation underscores the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions practices.
