Minister States Ministry of Defence Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions practices.
