Government Official Confirms Ministry of Defence Investigating Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Advised to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, including transport usage to discussions practices.
