Germany asks China to stop hiring former German pilots to train its air force

Germany asked China today, Saturday, to stop hiring former German pilots to train its air force, for fear that they will reveal secrets of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Defense Minister Boris Pistorius told reporters: “I raised the issue of German Air Force pilots who were apparently recruited to train (Chinese) pilots.”

“I clearly indicated that I expected this practice to stop immediately, and I told him that he probably wouldn’t be happy if I tried to do the same,” said the minister, who was speaking after meeting his Chinese counterpart Li Changfu on the sidelines of the Defense and Security Conference in Singapore.

He added that Lee “did not deny the matter but played down its importance,” according to a statement from the ministry regarding his comments to the press.

The German magazine “Der Spiegel” and the public television channel ZDF reported on Friday that China has hired many former air force pilots in recent years to train its pilots. Media said their salaries appeared to have been paid through front companies in the Seychelles. It reported that this matter raises the concern of the parliamentary committee overseeing the German intelligence services.

German fighter during joint exercises with Japan (archive)

“We are worried that military personnel who previously worked for the German state will take jobs that may lead them to betray state secrets,” the head of the parliamentary committee told the public television channel.

The German pilots involved flew Eurofighter fighter jets and participated in NATO exercises.

Berlin fears that the pilots will reveal to the Chinese secrets related to the interventions and tactics used by the military alliance across the Atlantic. The channel said that the Ministry of Defense intends to conduct an investigation.

Similar cases have emerged in Britain and the United States in recent years at a time of heightened tensions between China and neighboring Taiwan.

China maintains that Taiwan is part of its territory, and has vowed that it will one day take it back, by force if necessary.

Since 2016, Beijing has intensified its air and sea incursions around the island.

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