An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the possible threats posed by Chinese cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing secret information in any cars.
Safety Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.
He said that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however noted that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that are present in all vehicle, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a wise and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.
When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off buses and cause disruption to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.
This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions practices.
