An defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Safety Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of strong measures and caution in all areas of government activities, including vehicle use to discussions habits.
