UK: By 2035, Chinese President Xi Jinping wants the People's Liberation Army to be "modernised". The Chinese president announced on Sunday that in his pursuit of a "peaceful" reunification with Taiwan, he would "never abandon the use of force."

According to reports, some former UK pilots are being paid up to $270,000 to teach the Chinese military how to fly Western aircraft.

However, incidents have escalated now that pandemic travel restrictions are being eased, prompting the UK to issue an intelligence alert warning pilot against working for the Chinese military.

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The UK government was made aware in early 2019 of a small number of former military pilots being recruited to assist the Chinese military, but dealt with the issue on a "case-by-case basis".

A Western official said in a statement that "they are a very attractive group of people looking to advance that knowledge." The strategy and capabilities of the Chinese Military Air Force are being developed with the help of highly experienced Western pilots.

According to a spokesman for the UK Defense Ministry, the UK is taking "decisive steps to halt Chinese recruitment schemes that seek to train People's Liberation Army personnel, former UK Armed Forces pilots in the People's Republic of China".

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According to officials, the pilots have reportedly been hired by third-party liaison with connections to a "specific" South African flying academy.

The pilots, who are being sought from the UK military and who are not limited to the Royal Air Force, have experience flying a wide variety of different aircraft with the exception of the F-35.

The Official Secrets Act, which guarantees the protection of state secrets and official information relating to national security, has not yet been proven to be a violation by any former RAF pilot, according to available evidence.

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The UK government has issued a warning advising British pilots to refrain from giving sensitive information to the Chinese military. It also requests that anyone contact and report the encounter to the Defense Ministry so that the situation can be monitored.