Minister States Ministry of Defence Examining Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Confidential Discussions in Cars.
A defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He said that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
