Troops have been ordered not to discuss sensitive military information inside official vehicles, amid fears Beijing has launched a global operation targeting vehicles with Chinese tech
British soldiers have been warned to watch what they say in military vehicles – because of fears China could be listening to them. Ministry of Defence bosses have ordered troops not to discuss sensitive information in the army’s vehicles, in case listening devices have been surreptitiously placed in them by Chinese boffins.
The move comes on the advice of security chiefs, who have brought in a raft of measures to combat the threat of espionage from China and Russia.
Concerns have grown that Beijing has launched a global tech offensive targeting vehicles equipped with Chinese-produced software such as GPS devices and electric engines.
Warnings have now been stuck to the dashboards of hundreds of official ‘white fleet’ vehicles which transport troops and equipment all over the world, according to the Daily Mail.
The warnings say: ‘MOD devices are NOT to be connected to vehicle’ and ‘Avoid conversations above OFFICIAL within the vehicle’. The word ‘official’ refers to the level of security clearance.
The move comes after a Chinese tracking device was found sealed inside a UK government car thought to have been used by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak in 2023.
Security was tightened up following the discovery, with Government staff vetted for links to Russia and China, while Ministers were advised to disconnect Chinese-made devices from computer networks. The MoD has already banned Chinese electric vehicles from some military bases.
According to recent figures, the MoD has 745 electric vehicles and 1,414 hybrid vehicles in its white fleet.
Conservative defence spokesman Mark Francois said: “At last some parts of our Government are taking the threat of Chinese espionage seriously.
“We could also learn from the US which has much tougher restrictions on Chinese vehicles and components. In this day and age, careless talk definitely costs lives.”
A spokesman for the MoD said: “As the public would expect, we have security advice in place to protect our systems and information. This includes ensuring that official devices are not connected to cars and that staff only have conversations at the appropriate classification.
“This policy applies to all MoD civilian hire vehicles, not just electric ones.”
Meanwhile, in its latest attempt to showcase military strength, China has unleashed its new warfare tactic – an army of ‘robot wolves’.
The animal-like devices are designed to reduce casualties by replacing human soldiers and they are able to clear barbed wire and other obstacles easily. The machines are also able to fire precise shots and work in rough terrain.
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