JAKARTA - The British government issued a warning regarding China's efforts to persuade active military pilots and retired officers to train its armed forces with the lure of a large compensation package.
Strict steps will be taken by the government to stop the recruitment scheme, amid national security concerns.
The British Ministry of Defense (MoD) believes that currently there are up to 30 former military pilots in the country providing training in China, saying many others are being approached, including personnel who are still active.
The Ministry of Defense said Beijing used third parties to obtain other British and Western pilots, to directly train Chinese pilots, and to support state-owned defense industry companies and research institutes.
"We are taking decisive steps to stop China's recruitment scheme trying to serve the headhunt and former British Armed Forces pilots, to train People's Liberation Army personnel in the People's Republic of China," a Defense Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
"All personnel on duty and former personnel are subject to the Official Secrets Act. We are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and confidentiality agreements across Defense, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to address contemporary security challenges, including this one," the spokesperson added.
The Defense Ministry said there was no evidence to suggest that a former British pilot had conveyed any information that would violate the Official Secrets Act.
James Heappey, UK Secretary of State for Armed Forces and Veterans, said the government is currently trying to change the law to punish military pilots who hand over their expertise to the Chinese army.
"We will enact the law that once people are warned, it will be a violation to advance and continue the training," Heappey told Sky News.
"China is a competitor that threatens Britain's interests in many places around the world," he continued.
Heappey acknowledged China's important role as a trading partner, but added "there are no secrets in their efforts to gain access to our secrets, and the recruitment of our pilots, to understand our air force capabilities, obviously of our concern and intelligence from the Ministry of Defense."
While citing Sputnik News, the salary offered to these pilots by China is said to reach 240,000 pounds (Rp 4,187,064,043) per year.
Separately, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said in a daily briefing that the ministry was not aware of such recruitment schemes.
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