China launches ‘INSIDIOUS’ plot to DUPE U.S. pilots and aerospace technicians into training Beijing’s military, Pentagon says in dire warning

China is targeting serving and former U.S. military personnel in an elaborate plot to boost the training of its own burgeoning forces, the Pentagon has warned.

Beijing is attempting to obtain and use the Americans’ expertise to ‘fill gaps’ in the know-how of its own troops, according to a leaked memo obtained by the Washington Post.

The plan involves encouraging international businesses who work with Chinese companies to recruit the current and former members of the U.S military.

Chinese businesses connected to the ruling communist party then try to glean valuable information from them.

An internal document issued by the U.S Air Force last week told service members to be on alert for suspicious job offers.

It was written by General Charles Q. Brown Jr., Chief of Staff of the Air Force, who President Joe Biden has nominated to be the next Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The top general warned that Chinese business, with connections to the country’s government, were encouraging international partners to hire “U.S. and NATO-trained military talent.”

Those individuals are being offered positions as consultants, advisers and trainers.

Gen. Brown wrote: “By essentially training the trainer, many of those who accept contracts with these foreign companies are eroding our national security, putting the very safety of their fellow servicemembers and the country at risk.”

Serving members of the military and veterans are being targeted with recruitment opportunities that initially seem to have no implications for national security.

Some of them have reportedly been approached in person ant defense industry conferences.

Officials told the Washington Post it was an ‘insidious’ plan by Beijing.

They warned service members that if a job offer “looks too good to be true, it probably is.”

Two Chinese SU-30 fighter jets take off from an unspecified location to fly a patrol over the South China Sea.

Relations between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Joe Biden have soured. They are pictured here at the G20 lsummit in Bali, Indonesia, November 14, 2022

The FBI said: “The Chinese government is engaged in a broad, diverse campaign of theft and malign influence without regard to laws or international norms.”

It came days after it was reported that Chinese nationals posing as tourists had made up to 100 attempts to access U.S. military installations, and report back to Beijing.

They were dubbed ‘gate-crashers’ and officials warned they were engaged in a form of espionage.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated since a Chinese spy balloon flew over the U.S. earlier this year.

Amid fears of Chinese aggression against Taiwan the U.S has been attempting to improve communication between the world’s two largest economies.

Earlier this week Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo visited Beijing and met with senior Chinese officials.