Government Official Confirms MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
An defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Safety Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while travelling in Chinese cars.
The minister said that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
