Government Official Says Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Instructed to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
