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An defense official has revealed that the MoD is currently examining the potential threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while staff have been told to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.

Security Guidance for Defence Personnel

During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister commented on claims that MoD staff have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in China-made vehicles.

He stated that the ministry is “investigating” cars from China within its vehicle pools, however emphasised that security is a concern in every contemporary cars.

Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles represent a tiny fraction.

However whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in all automobile, to restrict those confidential conversations in secure locations. This is a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about security.

After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to stop using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”

Broader Defence Context

The announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have warned the UK to the existence of multi-purpose kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring chaos to public transit.

Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel has been directing lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” action by defence officials.

This broader security environment highlights the significance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from transport use to discussions habits.