An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, and personnel have been advised to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been told not to discuss classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any car, due to the increasing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.
