Government Official Confirms Ministry of Defence Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Cars.
A defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence situation highlights the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
