US and ‘Five Eyes’ allies warn that China is recruiting Western military trainers
- Pilots are being lured with offers of ‘tonnes of money’ and the chance to fly exotic aircraft, a US official says
The US and other “Five Eyes” countries warned on Wednesday that China has been circumventing measures aimed at halting its recruitment of current and former Western military pilots and other personnel to train the Chinese military.
“Western recruits who train the PLA [People’s Liberation Army] may increase the risk of future conflict by reducing our deterrence capabilities,” said a public bulletin issued by the US, British, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand intelligence services.
The notice is the latest warning by the English-speaking “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance about rising concerns with Chinese government-directed espionage, cyber hacking and intellectual property theft as Beijing’s growing might has roiled relations with Washington and its allies.
China’s embassy in Washington did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
The PLA is using private companies in South Africa and China to hire former fighter pilots, flight engineers and air operations centre personnel from Western countries to train its Air Force and Navy aviators, the services said in the notice.
