A defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in any vehicles.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, however stressed that security is a concern in every modern vehicles.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows reports 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 disable buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including transport use to communication practices.
