British troops have been told to keep their voices down inside military vehicles amid growing fears that China may be using hidden technology to eavesdrop on the UK’s armed forces.
The Ministry of Defence has issued a strict new alert after a Chinese tracking device was discovered inside a government vehicle believed to have been used by then–prime minister Rishi Sunak in 2023. Security chiefs now believe Beijing may have launched a global espionage operation by embedding surveillance tech into vehicles fitted with Chinese-made software, electric systems or GPS units.
As a result, warning stickers have been placed on the dashboards of hundreds of MoD “white fleet” vehicles, the unarmoured cars, vans and minibuses used worldwide to move troops and equipment. The notices read: “MOD devices are NOT to be connected to vehicles” and “Avoid conversations above OFFICIAL within the vehicle.”
“Official” refers to the clearance level of information that must not be discussed inside the cars.
The caution follows wider efforts to tighten security across government departments. Staff have been vetted for links to China and Russia, and ministers have been told to disconnect Chinese-made devices from computer networks. The MoD has already banned Chinese electric vehicles from several military bases. Current figures show the department operates 745 electric and 1,414 hybrid vehicles across the white fleet.
Conservative defence spokesman Mark Francois welcomed the shake-up, saying: “At last some parts of our Government are taking the threat of Chinese espionage seriously. We could learn from the US, which has much tougher restrictions on Chinese vehicles and components. In this day and age, careless talk definitely costs lives.”
An MoD spokesperson stressed the measures were standard security precautions: “We have advice in place to protect our systems and information. That includes ensuring official devices aren’t connected to vehicles and that staff only have conversations at the appropriate classification. This applies to all civilian hire vehicles, not just electric ones.”
Meanwhile, China has unveiled its latest show of military innovation, a pack of robotic “wolf” soldiers designed to take on dangerous frontline tasks. The four-legged machines can navigate rough terrain, clear obstacles like barbed wire and even fire precision shots, underscoring Beijing’s rapid push into autonomous warfare.
