- The UK says its military pilots are being recruited by China to help train Beijing’s army.
- A Ministry of Defense official told Insider that the country is trying to stop these efforts.
- According to British media reports, pilots are making as much as $270,000 a year for their help.
The UK is trying to stop China’s military from recruiting current and former military pilots for training purposes, a defense official said on Tuesday, but it’s been having a tough time doing so.
“We are taking decisive steps to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to headhunt serving and former UK Armed Forces pilots to train People’s Liberation Army personnel in the People’s Republic of China,” a UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson told Insider.
Citing Western officials, British media reported on Tuesday that as many as 30 jet and helicopter pilots have been recruited by China for annual salaries of up to $270,000. According to the BBC, China wants to use the pilots to deepen its understanding of Western planes and their operators.
Sky News reported that Beijing has been seeking pilots from various branches — like the Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, and British Army — and also wants to recruit people from other Western countries. To warn military personnel against these efforts, the defense ministry’s defense intelligence service even issued a “threat alert” on Tuesday, the report said.
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