An defense minister has stated that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been told to avoid talking about classified information in all vehicles.
Security Guidance for Defence Personnel
During a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister addressed reports that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its fleets, however emphasised that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
But whether you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Defence Context
The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
