Minister States Ministry of Defence Investigating Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Cars.
An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent 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 all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The wider defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to communication practices.
