China has been recruiting enough German pilots that Germany has officially asked it to stop, Reuters reports. While China has been investing heavily in its military, it has wisely not used it in drawn out conflicts the way NATO has in the last 20 years in Afghanistan. However, such military restraint also means that Chinese troops have little experience in operations, which is why China is recruiting retired experienced servicemen to train its own troops.
In addition to sharing experience and knowhow, which would be dangerous enough for Western Allies, German security officials believe that these pilots are sharing classified NATO knowledge and plans that would enable China to have a leg up in an armed contest over Taiwan. This not only affects Germany, but also the United States and other NATO countries, as training and plans are often jointly performed among Allied nations. China has showed no will, nor does it have incentitve to stop this practice, meaning Western nations will have to take action themselves against these mercenaries if they wants to maintain their military edge over China.
China has a long tradition of hiring Westerners to improve its armed forces. From 1850 to 1864, China faced a dramatic rebellion that cost millions of lives. It hired Westerners, including American Frederick Townsend Ward, to build a modern force, the “Ever Victorious Army” and take on the rebels. Following China’s transition to a Republic and power struggle with warlords, it again received Western officers, particularly from Nazi Germany, to strengthen its army and learn the cutting edge of warfare. Erik Prince of Blackwater fame provided contracted support in Africa for Chinese companies through his venture, the Frontier Services Group.
