A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made cars.
He explained that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any vehicle, because of the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
This announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government operations, from vehicle use to discussions habits.
