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An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential threats posed by Chinese vehicles, while staff have been advised to refrain from discussing classified matters in all vehicles.

Safety Guidance for Defence Staff

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

He said that the ministry is “examining” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but noted that safety is a issue in all contemporary vehicles.

We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and Chinese ones represent a tiny fraction.

But whether you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD devices into their vehicle, to avoid having conversations at a secret level in any kind of car, because of the increasing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to only have those secret talks in secure locations. This is a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about security.

After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the moment.”

Broader Security Context

The announcement comes as claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the United Kingdom to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow China to switch off public transport and cause disruption to transport systems.

Furthermore, a Russian intelligence vessel has been directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by government representatives.

This broader security environment highlights the importance of strong measures and caution in every areas of official activities, including transport use to communication habits.