A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict 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 prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and vigilance in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
