A defence minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
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 technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.
