Western Countries Formulating Countermeasures To Stop Retired Military Pilots Helping PLA

According to media reports on November 9, U.S. and Western allies are taking steps to stop retired pilots from Training Air Force pilots for the PLA in response to the recent discovery of their services to the Chinese Regime. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles announced on the 9th that the Government would review national security rules after completing an investigation into the service of former Australian military personnel to the Chinese military. Marles confirmed that the Ministry of Defense had conducted preliminary research into Beijing’s contact with retired Australian military personnel. He said the Ministry of Defense had a sufficiently strong framework to protect the country’s information and secrets.

However, the Ministry will thoroughly review policies and procedures that apply to former Australian military personnel, particularly those possessing state secrets. As reported, China has recruited as many as 18 highly skilled pilots who have retired from the RAF to provide training for the PLA. A senior British official said retired top pilots had increasingly worked for the PLA in recent months, fearing it would threaten Britain’s national security. In October this year, the British Government enacted a series of bills, including new national security legislation, to prevent communist China from recruiting more military talent. On Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice sentenced a former U.S. Army pilot to 20 months in prison for selling military secrets to the Chinese Government.