Government Official Confirms MoD Examining Potential Threat from Vehicles from China, with Staff Advised to Avoid Secret Talk in Cars.
An defence minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats associated with Chinese cars, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret information while riding in China-made cars.
He stated that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that safety is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret conversations in protected areas. That’s a prudent and sensible thing for everyone concerned about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and caution in every aspects of government operations, including transport use to communication practices.