Government Official States Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Chinese Cars, with Personnel Instructed to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
