A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from talking about classified information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, but emphasised that safety is a concern in every modern vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, Pollard replied: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This wider defence situation highlights the significance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, including transport usage to communication practices.
