Minister States Ministry of Defence Examining Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Personnel Told to Refrain from Secret Talk in Vehicles.
A defense official has confirmed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks posed by Chinese-made cars, and personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
During a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret material while riding in China-made cars.
The minister said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that safety is a issue in all modern vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any car, because of the growing risks of eavesdropping that exist in all vehicle, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Defence Background
This revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.
This wider defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all areas of government operations, including vehicle usage to discussions habits.
