Minister States MoD Investigating Potential Threat from Chinese Cars, as Personnel Advised to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to talk about secret information while travelling in China-made cars.
The minister stated that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but emphasised that security is a issue in every modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any vehicle, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider defence environment highlights the importance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from transport use to discussions practices.
