An defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential security risks posed by Chinese vehicles, and staff have been advised to avoid discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been told not to talk about secret material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a issue in every contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is exactly what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The wider defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of official activities, from transport usage to discussions habits.
