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A defence minister has revealed that the Ministry of Defence is actively investigating the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from talking about secret information in all vehicles.

Security Advice for Defence Staff

During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence staff have been instructed not to discuss secret material while travelling in China-made cars.

The minister explained that the MoD is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in every contemporary cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a tiny fraction.

But whether you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is not to plug MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone concerned about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Wider Security Context

The revelation comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.

Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been directing lasers at Royal Air Force aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.

This broader security situation underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, including transport usage to discussions habits.