Government Official States Ministry of Defence Investigating Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, as Staff Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defence minister has confirmed that the MoD is currently looking into the potential threats associated with Chinese-made cars, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified matters in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Personnel
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while travelling in China-made vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but stressed that security is a concern in every modern cars.
We have a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Broader Defence Context
This announcement follows 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 switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
The wider security environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to communication habits.
