An defense official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader security environment highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
