Government Official States MoD Looking at Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defence minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid discussing secret matters in any vehicles.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence situation underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
