An defence minister has stated that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, not to have conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
