VOA News | Saturday, July 13, 2024 
China signals defiance to NATO with military drills in Belarus

Washington — Military exercises under way this week between China and Belarus are seen by experts as a response to NATO’s growing interest in the Asia-Pacific region and a signal that China’s involvement in Europe will continue to grow. Just one day before the start of this week’s NATO summit where Japan and South Korea were major participants, China began 11 days of anti-terrorism exercises with Belarus in Brest, a city on the border with NATO member Poland. Belarus has been a crucial supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which borders both Belarus and Poland. The drills, collectively titled “Eagle Assault 2024,” were designed to increase military interoperability and allow the two states “to work out the issues of night landing, overcoming water obstacles, and conducting operations in a populated area,” according to a statement from the Belarusian Ministry of Defense. As the exercises continued, military representatives from China and Belarus met over the course of two days to discuss joint logistics, further entrenching the two sides’ ability to collaborate in military affairs. During a regular news conference on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said…Read more