An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing secret information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a issue in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
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 Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
