A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about secret information in all vehicles.
Safety Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted 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 was reportedly shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
