A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
We have a fleet of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
