Chinese defense minister claims 'strategic partnership' with Belarus
Belarus and China have a "comprehensive strategic partnership," Chinese defense minister Li Shangfu said in Minsk on Aug. 16, Belarusian state news agency Belta reported.
“The relations between Belarus and China have been continuously strengthening, steadily developing and moving forward" over recent years, Shangfu said.
The two countries now have "truly fraternal relations," he added, and claimed that China is Belarus' second biggest partner for bilateral trade.
China's defense minister arrived in Belarus on Aug. 16 on a planned state visit.
On Aug. 15, Li met with Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu on the sidelines of the Moscow Conference on International Security in the Russian capital.
China's support has become increasingly important for Russia's war effort, according to a report by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
The report, which was released on July 27, detailed how China was delivering millions of dollars worth of dual-use technologies, parts of military equipment, and other supplies to Moscow.
While there have not yet been independently verified instances of lethal military aid being delivered from China to Russia, Chinese-made mortars have been observed on numerous occasions in Russian ammunition dumps captured by Ukrainian troops.
Haley Zehrung
