A defense minister has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential threats associated with Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in any cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
