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A defense minister has confirmed that the MoD is actively looking into the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and personnel have been advised to avoid talking about secret matters in any vehicles.

Safety Advice for Defence Personnel

During a recently aired interview on a radio station, a defence minister addressed claims that MoD staff have been told not to discuss secret information while travelling in Chinese cars.

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

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

However regardless of if you’re traveling in a Chinese car or a non-Chinese car, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting Ministry of Defence devices into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified level in any car, due to the growing risks of surveillance that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in protected areas. That’s a prudent and reasonable thing for everyone worried about safety.

When it was put to him that it would be wise for the ministry to cease using every cars from China, the minister replied: That is precisely what we are looking into at the present time.”

Broader Defence Background

This announcement follows claims from Scandinavian countries have warned the UK to the presence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese buses, which could enable the Chinese government to switch off public transport and cause chaos to transport systems.

Furthermore, a Russia intelligence vessel has been shining lasers at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” act by government representatives.

This broader defence situation underscores the importance of strong measures and vigilance in all aspects of government activities, from vehicle usage to discussions habits.