A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently looking into the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for Defence Staff
In a recently aired interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been told not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.
However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
When it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Wider Security Context
This revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off buses and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.
This wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong measures and vigilance in every aspects of official operations, from vehicle usage to discussions practices.
