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An defence official has stated that the MoD is currently examining the possible threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been told to avoid talking about secret information in any cars.

Security Guidance for MoD Personnel

In a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese cars.

He explained that the MoD is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.

Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles account for a tiny fraction.

But regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, not to have conversations at a secret classification in any kind of car, due to the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single vehicle, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.

When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Security Context

The revelation follows claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence 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 spy ship has been directing laser beams at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.

This wider security environment underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official activities, from transport use to communication practices.