A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the importance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
