Government Official Says MoD Looking at Security Risk from Vehicles from China, as Staff Instructed to Avoid Confidential Discussions in Vehicles.
A defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all cars.
Security Advice for MoD Personnel
In a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made vehicles.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection 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 non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is not to plug MoD devices into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone worried about security.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: ‘That’s precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The announcement follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could allow China to disable public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
The wider security situation highlights the importance of strong protocols and caution in every areas of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.
