Government Official Confirms MoD Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but stressed that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every areas of official activities, from transport usage to communication habits.
