An defense minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is currently investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been instructed to avoid talking about secret matters in all cars.
Security Guidance for MoD Personnel
In a recent appearance on a radio station, a defence minister addressed reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”
Wider Security Context
This announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off buses and bring disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The broader defence situation underscores the significance of robust measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including vehicle use to communication practices.
