A defense official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however noted that safety is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
