According to Der Spiegel magazine and Germany’s second public broadcaster ZDF, retirees from the German Air Force are training Chinese pilots under contract through front companies based in the Seychelles. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius promised a full clarification of the case.

According to the report, at least five former Luftwaffe officers have been instructors in China for many years, and their salaries often go through front companies in the Seychelles. In fact, one of the pilots worked for the company of a Chinese spy who was recently exposed.

According to Spiegel, according to German officers, the pilots, among other things, disclosed classified information to which they had access by virtue of their position, including information about the operational tactics of the Bundeswehr and NATO.

At the same time, as part of their training programs, they were able to develop and test scenarios for China’s invasion of Taiwan. One of the pilots denied his involvement, and the rest could not be contacted, the newspaper reports.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said from Singapore that “each case must be investigated individually” and promised that “every offense will be punished.”

Mr. Pistorius also noted that while retirees are allowed to engage in other professional activities, these activities must be legal and consistent with their duties. “There are clear rules about what a soldier can and cannot do after service, as well as what activities must be reported to the Department of Defense. There are also clear rules regarding classified information,” the minister added.

Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, head of the federal parliament’s defense committee, told Spiegel that “it’s time to put an end to German naivety,” while calling it “unacceptable” that “we are helping China modernize its air force.” “.” and stressed that the retired German armed forces should limit their activities to NATO member states and their strategic partners.

Source: RES-IPE