China Lands Soldiers and Supplies in Belarus: Expanding its Footprint and Presence in NATO’s Backyard

Belarus Hosts China for Counterterror Training in NATO’s Backyard

Monday, June 8, 2024: This was the official kick-off date of the joint counterterror training, which is being held in west Belarus near the city of Brest, approximately three miles from the Polish border. While it is known that this joint training will last 11 days, it remains unclear what precisely this training will entail.

What is clear, however, is the vivid display of Chinese strategic capabilities, taking Chinese influence and a sample of their military power right onto the doorstep of NATO territory. The key piece of equipment that makes all this possible for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is the Y-20 strategic lift aircraft. While details remain murky about how many were used for this mission, these aircraft were instrumental in transporting the Chinese military personnel and all their equipment to Belarus for training.

About The Y-20

The Y-20 is the largest heavy-lift aircraft in the PLAAF inventory and the largest cargo aircraft currently being produced globally. This is because the U.S. Air Force halted the production of the C-17 in late 2015.

Like the larger C-17, the Y-20 is capable of carrying a wide array of military vehicles including the Type-99 heavy tank, the heaviest of this is the 55-ton variety. In addition to vehicles, the Y-20 is capable of conducting airborne operations, medical evacuation missions, airdrops and the transportation of conventional soldiers.

The Counterterror Training is Merely Window Dressing

Certain military exercises are difficult to argue with diplomatically. These include humanitarian aid and disaster relief training, medical training, and counter-terror training. These types of training raise a few eyebrows, but any possible worries can be easily brushed aside. The reason is that the purpose behind these types of training exercises is not outwardly threatening, and they are designed with civilian safety and health in mind.

The Deeper Meaning Behind the China/Belarus Training

As a net benefit for China, this training will further integrate training and operating procedures between itself and Belarus. Additionally, this training will also set established protocols in place for future deployments of Chinese military personnel. This will allow China to move personnel and equipment to Eastern Europe more quickly and easily. And herein lies the true motive for the training.

This training in Eastern Europe is primarily designed to vividly demonstrate to the U.S. and NATO more broadly that the Chinese military can easily move its soldiers and equipment to NATO’s doorstep and keep them supplied.

Additionally, this training demonstrates that Beijing will support its like-minded, authoritarian, east European allies and will be a primary source of backing for their regimes from here on. Another important aspect to look at is that Beijing is signaling that it will pressure NATO states if they are willing to follow the U.S. lead in conducting Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea. And the Y-20 is the lynchpin of this capability; it allows Beijing to surge its personnel and equipment uncomfortably close to the democratic NATO states.

Conclusion

It should come as no surprise that China is making its presence felt in Eastern Europe, given that we are now in for the long haul of great power competition. As the U.S. (and its allies) continues to be active in the South China Sea, conducting patrols, multilateral training, and delivering arms and equipment to regional states in the Pacific, Beijing will reciprocate in Europe.

Additionally, given the duration of the war in Ukraine, Russia is worn down, and its military is in tatters. Therefore, it has come to rely greatly on China for support, thereby finding itself in a weaker position. Beijing is now capitalizing on this to thrust itself into a leadership position in this relationship. NATO will now have to deal with Russia and the prospect of the Chinese military operating and deepening its military infrastructure a stone’s throw from NATO’s back porch.

Key Takeaways

• China is conducting a counterterrorism training with Belarus
• The training is set to take place on the border of Poland
• The Y-20 strategic lift aircraft made this training possible for China
• China is demonstrating that it can militarily reach right into Europe

Synopsis

China is participating in counterterrorism training in Belarus on the Polish border. The training is located in Brest, which is literally right on the border of Poland. However, the author contends that counterterror drills are more of a sideshow. The primary focus is on China’s ability to rapidly deploy hard-power assets into Europe.

About the Author

Christian P. Martin is a Michigan-based military researcher and writer. He lived and worked in Vietnam for seven years, giving him a deep understanding of regional dynamics and Vietnamese culture. Additionally, he earned a Master’s degree in Defense & Strategic Studies from the University of Texas at El Paso. His professional interests are history, land and naval warfare and a keen interest in an emergent China.

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Disclaimer: SOFREP utilizes AI for image generation and article research. Occasionally, it’s like handing a chimpanzee the keys to your liquor cabinet. It’s not always perfect and if a mistake is made, we own up to it. In a world where information comes at us in tidal waves, it is an important tool that helps us sift through the brass for live rounds.