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A defense official has stated that the MoD is actively examining the potential security risks associated with Chinese-made vehicles, while personnel have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in any cars.

Security Advice for Defence Personnel

During a recent interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD officials have been told not to talk about classified material while riding in Chinese vehicles.

He explained that the MoD is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however stressed that safety is a concern in every contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of tens of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones represent a very small number.

But regardless of if you’re driving a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in protected areas. This is a prudent and sensible thing for anyone worried about safety.

When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Defence Context

This revelation comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the presence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable buses and cause disruption to public transit.

Additionally, a Russian intelligence vessel was reportedly directing lasers at RAF aircrew, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by government representatives.

This broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in all aspects of official activities, from transport use to discussions practices.