A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats associated with Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Defence Context
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment highlights the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
