Minister Says MoD Examining Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Personnel Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
An defense minister has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been told to refrain from talking about secret information in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recent appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in Chinese cars.
He stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however emphasised that safety is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Defence Background
The announcement follows claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from transport usage to communication practices.
