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Britain’s Ministry of Defence sent serving Royal Air Force pilots to China to teach a course to their Chinese counterparts and allowed Chinese nationals to study at UK military colleges, Sky News can reveal.

Up to four frontline pilots took part in the ‘Aviation English Course’ in Beijing that ran in 2016, while at least three Chinese nationals have gone through basic officer training at the RAF’s college at Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

The most recent Chinese officer is thought to have attended the college in 2019 – a time when the UK and its closest ally, the United States, under then president Donald Trump, were increasingly concerned about security threats from China.

A former senior British officer also told Sky News that he had been aware in the past of a number of Chinese nationals who had studied at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham in Swindon – which caters for more senior military personnel from across the army, navy and air force.

“The joke was that they were always on the photocopier the whole time,” the source said.

A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesperson said no “fast jet flight training, or any other sensitive training” was ever provided to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).

Earlier this month, the UK government revealed that around 30 former British military pilots were currently in China teaching the Chinese air force how to defeat Western warplanes, saying this activity posed a “threat to UK and Western interests”.

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The MoD issued a “threat alert” to caution serving and former personnel against accepting such offers of employment, and officials said they were urgently planning to change the law to make that kind of activity illegal.

But the warnings prompted sources with knowledge of official government-to-government ties between the UK and China to point out that London had previously conducted its own defence training activities with Beijing.

They said it was a bit odd to suddenly turn on this private initiative now without providing the wider context, especially as the former pilots’ work had been declared to officials over many years without prompting such stark objections – even as recently as September of this year.

“So, on the one hand, the MoD is happy to provide international defence training opportunities when the political agenda suits, but now will critique individuals for similar actions,” one source said.

“I am not saying that justifies such a choice [by the former pilots] but you can see that the narratives aren’t quite consistent with what MoD personnel are asked to do.”

‘I’m sure more than English language got talked about’

UK government policy on China was very different a decade ago.

Then prime minister David Cameron sought to strengthen relations with China in what by 2015 he called a “golden era” in bilateral ties.

However, even when ministers were prioritising economic growth, defence officials were well aware of the Chinese security risks, with concern expressed internally about the balance between security and the so-called “prosperity agenda”.

Yet a number of China-UK military interactions still took place, including the Aviation English Course, a separate source said.

They said it “consisted of helping the People’s Liberation Army Air Force learn how to run overseas military deployments”.

Cranwell is home to the RAF's training college
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Several Chinese nationals did basic initial officer training at RAF Cranwell

The source said about two to four serving RAF pilots were sent to Beijing to teach the course from 5-26 September 2016.

“It was very specific that it had to be frontline military aviators in current flying practice, so I am sure more than English language got talked about.”

The source added that they thought the title Aviation English Course was “a misnomer – why send military pilots rather than teachers?”

Another engagement was to allow a number of Chinese nationals to go through basic initial officer training at RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire.

Two Chinese nationals – Lieutenant G Huang and Captain S Tong – were on the course in 2015 as the UK government was taking a more favourable view on China.

A defence source said they had both been due to train as engineers back in China and did not receive any RAF pilot training or engineering training.

A third Chinese national also went through the training course as recently as 2019 – a year when UK-China relations were on the decline over concerns about espionage, mobile phone technology, Hong Kong and the treatment of Uyghur Muslims and other minority ethnic groups in the Chinese province of Xinjiang.

The defence source said such basic training is conducted across all three services, including the army and the navy, with participants from a range of countries – both friendly and those the UK is seeking to build relationships with.

Such low-level, non-specialist training can be a useful way to build understanding, break down cultural barriers and improve military-to-military relationships.

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Behind the scenes on US aircraft carrier

The MoD declined to respond to questions about the Aviation English Course or about the claims regarding Chinese nationals attending the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham.

Questions also remain about why – given the growing concern about China – it took the UK until this month to raise the alarm about former British fast jet and helicopter pilots accepting contracts to train the Chinese military.

A South African company that has hired a number of the individuals involved said its employees have been in “regular” contact with the UK Ministry of Defence since the firm was established in 2003.

“The MoD has not raised any issue regarding any aspect of the training provided by the company or its employees,” a spokesperson for the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA) said.

“As recently as September 2022, a TFASA employee was invited to an interview with MoD personnel in the UK, with no concerns raised by the representatives from the MoD present.”

The spokesperson also rejected UK claims that its work with the Chinese posed any kind of security threat.

“TFASA’s employees are subject to a very clear company ethics protocol in relation to sensitive information and are also governed by national obligations as to secrecy,” they said.

Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey said the government has “serious questions” to answer.

“The first duty of any government is to protect our nation’s security,” he said in a statement.

“The Tories have been too slow to emerge from their ‘golden era’ with China and repeatedly blasé about security threats. This official deployment could have compromised details of UK military operations, technology and training to a foreign power, posing a significant threat to our national security.

“Ministers must answer serious questions about why they backed this activity and what risks it poses. The public also want reassurance on the actions taken to halt it.”

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Police given extra time to question four arrested over Manchester synagogue terror attack

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Police given extra time to question four arrested over Manchester synagogue terror attack

Police have been granted extra time to question four people who were arrested in connection with the terrorist attack on a synagogue in Manchester.

Three men remain in hospital after the car and knife attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue on Thursday.

Jihad al Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot by police as he launched the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.

Adrian Daulby, 53, is believed to have been shot dead by police while trying to stop al Shamie from entering the synagogue.

He died alongside Melvin Cravitz, 66, a worshipper who helped prevent the attacker from entering the place of worship.

Pic: PA
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Pic: PA

Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW) is leading the police operation and has been granted warrants allowing them to detain four people who were arrested on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts for a further five days.

The warrants relate to two men, aged 30 and 32, and two women, aged 46 and 61.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said the investigation was “continuing at pace” with “significant resources” mobilised in order to “establish the full picture into what has happened”.

The force said three men remain in hospital with serious injuries, including a security guard with car-impact injuries and a Community Security Trust (CST) worker with stab wounds.

On Friday, the police watchdog, which is investigating the incident, said it was examining the use of lethal force by GMP firearms officers, including “whether police may have caused or contributed to the death” of Mr Daulby.

Read more:
Tributes to ‘kind and heroic’ victims of Manchester attack
What we know about Manchester attacker

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Arrests at pro-Palestine protest

Nearly 500 arrested as pro-Palestine protest goes ahead despite pleas

It comes as 492 people were arrested over protests supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square on Saturday.

The demonstration went ahead despite Sir Keir Starmer, other politicians and police bosses calling on organisers to reconsider.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called for those who attended the demonstration arrested under the Terrorism Act to also be investigated for stirring up racial hatred.

The board is set to hold an event in the same location on Sunday afternoon to reflect on the two-year anniversary of the 7 October Hamas attack.

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Met Police call on pro-Palestine protesters

On Friday, the head of counter-terrorism policing, Laurence Taylor, said a “suspicious device” attached to al Shamie’s torso was fake and police believed he “may have been influenced by extreme Islamist ideology”.

He added: “Based on some fast-time assessments conducted on our systems, this individual does not appear to be known to counter-terrorism policing, however, he does have a non-CT (counter-terror) related criminal history.

“This includes a recent arrest for rape, which resulted in him being bailed.”

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Nearly 500 arrested in London as pro-Palestine protest goes ahead despite pleas

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Nearly 500 arrested in London as pro-Palestine protest goes ahead despite pleas

Nearly 500 people have been arrested over protests supporting the proscribed group Palestine Action, as demonstrators defied calls to reconsider in the wake of the Manchester synagogue terror attack.

Two days after the attack in Crumpsall, crowds of people gathered in central London on Saturday to call on the government to reverse the ban on the proscribed group.

Organisers of the protest, Defend Our Juries, said 1,000 people attended the event to “oppose genocide and the Palestine Action ban”.

The Metropolitan Police said 492 people had been arrested, with the youngest being 18 and the eldest 89. The force said 297 remain in custody and the rest have been bailed.

Before the demonstration even began, six people were arrested for unfurling banners which read “I oppose genocide” and “I support Palestine Action” on Westminster Bridge.

The bulk of the arrests were made in Trafalgar Square, where protesters held placards showing their support for Palestine Action, which was added to the UK’s list of proscribed terrorist groups in July.

The Met said a different group of protesters also gathered in Whitehall before trying to make their way to Trafalgar Square.

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Met Police call on pro-Palestine protesters

Many of those arrested throughout the day were older individuals. Pictures showed people with walking sticks or in wheelchairs being supported by police, while others were physically carried to a processing pen after failing to cooperate with officers.

One protester, 62-year-old Mike Higgins, who is blind and uses a wheelchair, told the PA news agency: “We are going to win this battle, by the way, there’s no doubt about that. The problem for me is that I want to win it now to try and bring an end to the suffering in Palestine.”

Police remove a protester taking part in a demonstration in support of Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square. Pic: PA
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Police remove a protester taking part in a demonstration in support of Palestine Action in Trafalgar Square. Pic: PA

Pic: PA
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Pic: PA

The Metropolitan Police had urged the Defend Our Juries group to postpone the event in light of the synagogue attack.

Chief of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark Rowley, said he was worried resources would be stretched and the ability of the force to protect communities would be compromised as a result of the protest.

Protesters unfurl a banner on Westminster Bridge. Pic: PA
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Protesters unfurl a banner on Westminster Bridge. Pic: PA

Pic: PA
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Pic: PA

In a statement on X on Saturday morning, Sir Keir Starmer also said anyone thinking of protesting should “recognise and respect the grief of British Jews”, while Jewish figures called the action “phenomenally tone deaf”.

In a letter to Ade Adelekan, the deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Defend Our Juries said the protest would continue as planned as “the protection of our democracy and the prevention of countless deaths are critical issues”.

Read more:
Tributes to ‘kind and heroic’ victims of Manchester attack
What we know about Manchester attacker

The controversial decision drew criticism from policing minister Sarah Jones, who said many of those attending the event “want to be arrested, that is their aim”.

She said: “We believe in people’s rights to protest. This protest here in London is a different order of event because people are supporting a proscribed organisation and the police have to step in, in that case.”

Pic: PA
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Pic: PA

A similar event held by the group, Greater Manchester Friends of Palestine, took place earlier on Saturday in Manchester. Instead of marching in support of Palestine Action, the event was to “honour the names of Palestinian children brutally killed by Israel in Gaza”.

A crowd of around 100 pro-Palestinian supporters gathered outside the city’s Cathedral to listen to speakers before moving en masse to St Peter’s Square.

A similar event was held in Greater Manchester. Pic: Reuters
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A similar event was held in Greater Manchester. Pic: Reuters

A counter-protester in Manchester. Pic: Reuters
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A counter-protester in Manchester. Pic: Reuters

People were heard chanting “Free Palestine!” while a small group of counter-protesters marched in front shouting “release the hostages”.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) did not say if any arrests were made.

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Synagogue attack: Burnham and Badenoch in Manchester

Away from the protests, GMP said four of the six people arrested in connection to the synagogue terror attack will remain in custody for up to another five days.

The force said the custody extension applies to two men, aged 30 and 32, and two women, aged 61 and 46.

An 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man have been released and will face no further action.

GMP said all six people had been arrested on suspicion of commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.

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Prince William ‘cares deeply about tradition’ but Earthshot Prize shows he’s not afraid to modernise

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 Prince William 'cares deeply about tradition' but Earthshot Prize shows he's not afraid to modernise

A close adviser to Prince William has told Sky News William “does care deeply about tradition” but his Earthshot Prize shows he’s not afraid to modernise to make sure his work “makes sense” for the generation he will serve.

Marking a month to go until the fifth Earthshot Prize awards takes place in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, Jason Knauf, the new chief executive, says it shows “the sort of leader that Prince William wants to be, both now and in the future” but also the huge impact his influence can have on issues like the climate crisis.

Mr Knauf has become a close confidante of the Prince, having worked with him for ten years, and being there right at the beginning of the Earthshot journey, “when this thing was percolating, and he really pushed us to make it something special”.

But after discussions this week about the “change” William wants to make when he’s monarch, Mr Knauf told us the Prince doesn’t want to just shake things up for the sake of it.

“He does care deeply about tradition, about his family’s legacy of service, and I think Earthshot is a really good example of how you’re going to see that maintained in the future, but done in a way that makes sense for the time”, he said, adding: “That’s what his grandmother did.

“That’s what his father’s been doing. Updating the tradition for the generation that they serve”.

Prince William joined actor Cate Blanchett during a visit to Earthshot Prize finalist Colorifix. Pic: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
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Prince William joined actor Cate Blanchett during a visit to Earthshot Prize finalist Colorifix. Pic: Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace

Explaining how in the early days they looked closely at other examples of past royal prizes or initiatives, such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, for inspiration, Mr Knauf said: “You know, we didn’t just create this thing in a vacuum. It was about what kind of difference could his leadership make?

More on Earthshot Prize

“And one of the things about the royal family for generations, has been recognising the work of others.

“You know, whether that’s through the honours system, recognising people in arts and community service or whatever it might be, all this is doing is taking something that’s really traditional and putting a modern twist on it”.

Pic: AP
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Pic: AP

Last week, a TV programme was released in which Prince William admitted, during an interview with Hollywood star Eugene Levy, that “change is on my agenda” when he becomes King.

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Prince William hinted at ‘change’ in an interview with Canadian TV presenter Euguene Levy

This weekend, the finalists for the fifth Earthshot awards are announced, with four weeks to go until the ceremony takes place in Rio.

The prize recognises innovators coming up with solutions to the world’s most pressing environmental problems.

Among this year’s finalists in the running for the five £1m prizes are Matter, a British company whose simple washing machine filters remove the greatest cause of microplastics in our ocean; the world’s first fully ‘upcycled skyscraper’ in Australia, a Chinese company working on mobile phone waste, and the country of Barbados for its environmental focus.

Read more from Sky News:
Radioactive issues could still derail momentum for Gaza peace
Details emerge of synagogue attacker’s life

For the first time, the awards will take place in the same country, in the same week as the UN climate change conference COP30.

Prince William is the founder and president of The Earthshot Prize. Pic AP
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Prince William is the founder and president of The Earthshot Prize. Pic AP

Addressing whether the positive message of Earthshot will be overshadowed by the inevitable split opinions on tackling the climate crisis that will come out of the conference in Belem, Mr Knauf said: “The news around political disagreement and all of that stuff will be out there, but that’s one of the reasons we created the prize, directly to challenge that pessimism and negativity, to say we need to get on with this work.

“Showing world leaders that big things are happening in their regions and in their countries and in their backyards should remind them that, actually, this isn’t something that’s theoretical.

“The actual solutions that we need really, really do exist”.

Prince William will travel to Brazil on 3 November for engagements in Rio, highlighting environmental issues, as well as attending the awards on 5 November at the iconic Museum of Tomorrow.

In a video posted on his social media, the Prince explains how he continues to do this for his children, saying: “The Earthshot Prize was founded because this decade matters.

“2030 is a threshold by which future generations will judge us; it is the point at which our actions, or lack of them, will have shaped forever the trajectory of our planet.”

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