An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but stressed that safety is a issue in every modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to communication practices.
