Government Official Confirms MoD Investigating Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Told to Avoid Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones 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 classified classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
