China Conducts Military Drills Near US Base in Europe

‘Chinese troops have never been so close to the Polish border in history’

Grzegorz Adamczyk

The Chinese Ministry of National Defense announced on Sunday that the military forces of China and Belarus will conduct joint exercises named Eagle Assault-2024 near Brest, Belarus, close to the Polish border. These exercises, set to run until mid-July, are part of an annual plan and an agreement between the two nations.

Participants from both sides will engage in mixed training exercises and practical tasks such as hostage rescue and anti-terrorism operations. The goal is to enhance the training level of the soldiers involved and deepen the pragmatic cooperation between the two countries’ armies, according to the Chinese Ministry of National Defense.

Meanwhile, the Belarusian Ministry of Defense reported that personnel from the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China have arrived in Belarus to participate in the joint anti-terrorism exercises scheduled until July 19.

International affairs expert Radosław Pyffel commented on the situation, suggesting that while the exercises might be routine, they could potentially lead to various outcomes such as de-escalation or other unintended consequences beyond the immediate concerns of Poland, Belarus, and Russia.

“Chinese troops have never been so close to the Polish border in history,” noted a Chinese affairs expert, emphasizing the unprecedented nature of this development. Even if these maneuvers are seen as a minor military move, they introduce new variables that will likely need to be considered in future strategic calculations.

“Welcome to the new world,” Pyffel concluded, highlighting the evolving dynamics of international relations in the region.

China Conducts Military Drills Near US Base in Europe

 yourNEWS Media Newsroom

China’s military is set to conduct drills near a significant U.S. Army base in Europe this month, according to multiple reports. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will engage in joint military training operations in Belarus in mid-July, as reported by Chinese state media on Sunday. The drills will take place in a region of Belarus that borders Poland, less than 300 miles from a U.S. Army garrison in Poland, a country hosting nearly 10,000 U.S. troops.

The joint exercises will focus on “counter-terrorism operations,” including mixed-team and “hostage rescue” drills, according to Chinese state media. Belarus, which has supported Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, has faced sanctions from the West, as noted by The Diplomat. In response, China has embraced several sanctioned nations, including Belarus, upgrading their relations to an “all-weather comprehensive partnership” in 2023.

“The training aims to enhance the training levels and coordination capabilities of the participating troops, as well as deepen practical cooperation between the armies of the two countries,” Chinese state media reported. State media outlets in China are viewed by the West as the propaganda arm of the government.

The U.S. has a variety of forces stationed at bases and installations across Poland, with the Army garrison in Poznan being the first of its kind, as reported by The Associated Press. The garrison not only serves U.S. operational goals but also strengthens NATO’s capabilities in Poland, which is a NATO member.

“NATO routinely tracks all military maneuvers near its borders. The China/Belarus exercise near Poland illustrates the growing relationship between authoritarian powers,” a NATO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Politico EU. “We remain vigilant.”

The Chinese military drills coincide with the annual NATO summit in Washington, D.C. This week, NATO leadership has emphasized the need to focus more on the threat posed by China and its increasing alliances with other Western adversaries, including Russia.

Russia and China have significantly strengthened their relationship since Russia was isolated by the West for its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Despite China’s assertions that it has not provided military support to Russia, some Chinese equipment and technology have been found on the battlefield.

“They all want NATO, the United States, to fail,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told CBS on Sunday, referring to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. “If Putin wins in Ukraine, it will not only embolden President Putin [but] it also embolden President Xi, as the Japanese Prime Minister said, what happens in Ukraine today can happen in Asia tomorrow.”