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A defence official has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible security risks posed by Chinese cars, while staff have been instructed to avoid discussing classified matters in all vehicles.

Security Advice for Defence Staff

In a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD officials have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.

He said that the ministry is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, however stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.

We have a collection of tens of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones account for a very small number.

However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have conversations at a classified classification in any vehicle, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that are present in every single automobile, to only have those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.

When it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to cease using all cars from China, the minister responded: That is exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”

Broader Security Context

The announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to transport systems.

Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.

This broader security situation highlights the significance of robust measures and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport use to communication habits.