Chinese troops have joined Belarusian forces for major military exercises near Europe’s NATO borders, raising eyebrows and tensions. This collaboration marks a significant shift as Belarus, traditionally allied with Russia, seeks closer ties with China amidst the Ukraine conflict fallout. The drills, named Eagle Assault 2024, involve scenarios like anti-terrorism operations and urban combat, emphasizing joint training and strategic coordination between the two armies. This move is seen as Belarus’ pivot away from Russia amid international isolation and economic pressures, potentially reshaping geopolitical dynamics in Eastern Europe.
Chinese soldiers are participating in maneuvers in Belarus, bringing a new element to the Eastern European security situation, which is dominated by Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ramifications from it. While Belarus has long been a staunch Russian ally, it has recently made overtures to China to strengthen relations, particularly military ties.
The 11-day Eagle Assault 2024 exercise began Wednesday in Belarus’ Brest region, less than 3.1 miles from the border with Poland, a NATO member and Ukraine’s ardent supporter. This is the first time the Chinese and Belarusian military have conducted such training together.
There have been examples, such as Belarusian forces traveling to China for bilateral exercises, and both countries taking part in the Vostok multilateral exercise in Russia in August 2022.
The groundwork for Eagle Assault 2024 appears to have been built last August when China and Belarus agreed to hold further cooperative military drills following a meeting in Minsk between China’s then-defense chief Li Shangfu and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.
According to China’s Ministry of National Defense, personnel from both countries are completing “anti-terrorist training” and will participate in hostage rescue operations. The Belarusian military ministry released photos of Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops coming in Belarus on a Y-20 strategic transport aircraft.
“The joint training aims to enhance the coordination capabilities of the participating troops and deepen practical cooperation between the two armies,” the ministry said, adding that the drills were according to “an annual plan and consensus.”
The Belarusian Ministry of Defense stated that the joint drills would include training for airborne assault, river crossings, and urban combat.
“The situation in the world is difficult, so we are practicing new forms and methods of solving tactical tasks,” said Vadzim Dzenisenka, commander of the Belarusian military’s special operations command.
Whether coincidental or not, the Belarusian-Chinese drills began before of the NATO summit in Washington, which starts today. The war in Ukraine will once again be at the forefront of the alliance’s three-day meeting, with methods to militarily support Kyiv becoming increasingly crucial as Russia continues to make gains on the battlefield and bombards cities and other targets around Ukraine.
Belarus has been closely associated with Russia’s war since before the full-scale invasion, serving as a staging site for Russian troops and materiel before pushing across the border in February 2022, including from Belarus. Since then, Belarus has continued to host Russian military personnel, including planes and weapons used against Ukraine.
Russia began moving some of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus in 2023, and the Belarusian military has since participated in combined nuclear drills with Russian partners, as reported here and here.
Belarus is now looking to develop its military alliance with China as well. Belarus joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) this week, which was founded by China and Russia to address security problems in Central Asia and beyond. In addition to economic and political challenges, the group promotes military cooperation among its members.
Belarus’ authoritarian leader, Lukashenko, has been shunned by much of Europe, not just for his backing of Russia’s conflict in Ukraine, but also for several human rights violations, including a harsh crackdown on protesters in the country in 2020.
The turn toward China, on the other hand, may indicate that Lukashenko is looking for alternatives to Russia, particularly as the latter becomes an international pariah and its economy struggles to cope with the effects of harsh sanctions. While Russia’s economy has so far evaded catastrophe, its credibility as a partner and supporter is becoming increasingly doubtful.
Belarus is also dealing with sanctions.
Meanwhile, Belarusian officials have continued to criticize NATO’s alleged hostile intentions. It shares similarities with both Russia and China. In the case of China, NATO is increasingly looking to the Pacific as a potential future flashpoint and has worked to strengthen ties with regional allies, even though they remain outside the military alliance.
Having Chinese forces on drills in Europe, particularly so close to Poland, sends a signal to NATO and others that Beijing may be increasingly willing to intervene in the continent’s military affairs. What is unclear is if the drills should be seen as a willingness to provide direct military support to Russia in its war in Ukraine, which Beijing has always refrained from doing.
Tensions along Poland’s border with Belarus have already raised concerns. This has been particularly evident in the matter of border protection, with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk claiming that the country is facing a “hybrid war” on illegal migration, which Poland accuses Belarus of encouraging. Last week, the Polish defense minister stated that Poland and Lithuania will request discussions on border protection during the NATO meeting.
The future of Belarus and China’s relationship will most certainly be greatly influenced by what occurs between them and Russia, as well as Moscow’s fortunes in Ukraine.
The Belarusian government has stated that this week’s drills “will lay the foundation for further development of Belarusian-Chinese relations in the field of joint training of troops.”
With this in mind, additional military cooperation between Belarus and China is likely.
Last year, GreatGameIndia reported that Putin ally Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko promised “nuclear weapons for everyone” who joined Belarus and Russia.
2 Responses
This is so cool!
Goodonya China and Belarus!
God bless the free world!
Death to Nazi EU and the Global
Nazi Dictatorship NATO!
dan you dummy the ‘nazi,s’ as you call them were the
good guys, the communists are running things now
the evil blood thirsty bolshevics are coming for us all