A defense official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The broader security environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in all aspects of government operations, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
