China and Belarus began joint military exercises on Wednesday, July 10, lasting several days. These maneuvers are taking place just a few kilometers from the Polish border. Atypical exercises that displease NATO. On Thursday, July 11, in its final communiqué at the end of its 75th summit, the Alliance meeting in Washington expressed concern about Beijing’s support for Moscow, which is at war with Ukraine, and the rapprochement with Belarus.
2 min
This week, the Chinese military began a series of joint military exercises with the Belarusian army. The drills, dubbed ” Falcon Attack » take place in a training camp near Brest, a city in the southwest of the Belaruslocated on the border with Poland, a member of NATO.
The workouts are officially presented as exercises ” anti-terrorists ». However, also included are night landing procedures, river crossings, as well as urban combat simulations. Neither Minsk nor Beijing have specified the number of soldiers involved, but these unprecedented maneuvers have all the makings of high-intensity training.
This cooperation dates back to last fall, ” to meet new global challenges “, said the Chinese Ministry of Defense. “ Commanders of both sides expressed hope that through these exercises it will be possible to learn from each other, improve combat techniques and deepen cooperation and communication between the two armies. “, according to a statement from the ministry published Wednesday, which specifies that the exercises will last until mid-July.
Exercises viewed with suspicion by NATO
By sending troops to the Eastern European flank, on the Polish border, Beijing is above all demonstrating its ability to project forces to external theatres. This is a strategic signal.
These exercises are also being closely scrutinized by Warsaw. The Polish Ministry of Defence is constantly monitoring and analysing the situation. ” at the border, the Polish ministry said, ” the same goes for the ““Sino-Belarusian anti-terrorist exercises”.
This Chinese presence on the borders of Europe also testifies of Beijing’s proximity to Moscow and with its Belarusian vassal, which greatly worries the Western allies. In its final communiqué in Washington, during the 75th summit of NATOthe Atlantic Alliance has issued a warning to the Middle Kingdom. It has accused it of playing a decisive role in the war waged by Russia, through its unlimited support for the Russian war industry.
Read alsoWith the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China seeks to create an alternative to NATO