Council of Republic ratifies Belarus-China agreement on joint exercises

MINSK, 18 October (BelTA) – The Council of the Republic has ratified an agreement between Belarus and China on the status of China’s and Belarus’ military units temporary staying on the territory of each country for joint exercises, BelTA has learnt.

According to Defense Minister of Belarus Yuri Zhadobin, the Belarusian-Chinese agreement was signed in Beijing in December 2012. One of the goals of the agreement is stepping up cooperation between Belarus and China in keeping up the high combat readiness of the Belarusian and Chinese armies, legal and social support for the operation of army units, which are temporarily stationed in one of the two countries for the sake of holding joint exercises.

In 2012-2013 China donated over 20 light armored vehicles Dongfeng Mengshi to special operations units of the Belarusian army. Over $16.5 million worth of equipment has been supplied by the Chinese Defense Ministry to fit out healthcare institutions. Ten high-level military delegations have exchanged visits in the last three years. Training sessions for representatives of the Belarusian and Chinese armies are regularly arranged in military education institutions of both countries. Apart from that, joint antiterrorism exercises for Belarusian special operations units and airborne units of the Chinese army were held in Belarus in July 2011 and in China in November-December 2012.