Chinese Troops Arrive in Belarus Ahead of Military Parade

Chinese military personnel have arrived in Belarus to take part in an upcoming military parade.

According to the Belarusian Ministry of Defense, Chinese troops will begin joint training exercises on Wednesday in preparation for the parade.

It is scheduled for May 9 to mark the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.

Belarus and China have long maintained close military ties.

Official defense relations between the two countries were established in 1992 following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Since then, the two countries have expanded cooperation across various areas, including military education, joint exercises, technical collaboration, and arms procurement.

Belarus has operated Chinese-made CS/VN3 Dajiang armored vehicles since 2017.

The country also fields the Polonaise multiple launch rocket system (MLRS), which uses Chinese components.

The joint development of the Polonaise system stems from agreements signed in 2013 between the governments of Belarus and China.

In 2020, the defense ministries signed a formal agreement on military-technical cooperation.

Belarusian and Chinese units held joint exercises in 2024, shortly after Belarus formally joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

That same year, China conducted four flights of Boeing 747-4FTF cargo aircraft to Belarus, delivering unspecified cargo.