An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to avoid discussing classified information in all vehicles.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, however stressed that safety is a issue in all modern cars.
We have a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.
But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone concerned about security.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to stop using every cars from China, Pollard responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Defence Background
This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.
Furthermore, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.
The wider security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of government operations, from vehicle use to communication practices.
