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An defence official has confirmed that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the potential security risks posed by Chinese cars, and staff have been instructed to avoid talking about secret information in any vehicles.

Security Guidance for Defence Personnel

In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to talk about secret material while travelling in Chinese cars.

He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.

We have a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a very small number.

However whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any kind of car, due to the increasing risks of eavesdropping that exist in every single vehicle, to restrict those confidential talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.

After it was suggested that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister responded: ‘That’s exactly what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Defence Background

The announcement comes as reports from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese electric buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.

Furthermore, a Russian spy ship was reportedly shining laser beams at RAF aircrew, labeled a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.

This broader security situation underscores the importance of strong protocols and vigilance in every aspects of government activities, including transport use to discussions practices.