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【Bilingual】China and Belarus to Hold "Swift Eagle-2026" Airborne Joint Training
【双语】中白将举行“神鹰-2026”空降兵联合训练
PLA Daily (解放军报)
7 August 2026
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Summary
China and Belarus will conduct 'Swift Eagle-2026' airborne joint training in Hubei in mid-to-late August, the fourth iteration of this bilateral series, focused on urban counter-terrorism tasks including reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, seizure-and-control, and clearance-and-elimination operations. The announcement documents a recurring, institutionalized airborne exercise relationship with Belarus — a NATO-bordering state under Lukashenko — that has now run at least four cycles, extending the pattern of China using counter-terrorism framing to develop combined-arms interoperability with non-Western partners. Which specific Chinese and Belarusian units are participating remains unspecified in the MND release.
Translation
China and Belarus to Hold "Swift Eagle-2026" Airborne Joint Training
On the afternoon of August 7, Senior Colonel Chen Xi, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, released information on recent military-related matters.
Chen Xi: In mid-to-late August, the armed forces of China and Belarus will hold the "Swift Eagle-2026" airborne joint training in Hubei. This joint training takes joint urban counter-terrorism operations as its subject matter, and will primarily conduct exercises in reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance, seizure-and-control and defense, clearance-and-elimination and consolidation-and-holding. This is the 4th iteration of this joint training series, and will help further enhance the combat capabilities of the participating forces and deepen practical cooperation between the two militaries.
Original Chinese
中白将举行“神鹰-2026”空降兵联合训练 Chinese and Belarusian Airborne Troops To Conduct Swift Eagle 2026 Joint Training 8月7日下午，国防部新闻发言人陈曦大校就近期涉军问题发布消息。 陈曦：8月中下旬，中国与白俄罗斯两国军队将位湖北举行“神鹰-2026”空降兵联合训练。此次联训以联合城镇反恐行动为课题，主要开展侦察与反侦察、夺控与防卫、清剿与固守等演练。这是双方第4次举行该系列联训，有助于进一步提升参训部队实战能力、深化两军务实合作。 Chen Xi:In mid and late August, airborne troops from China and Belarus will hold Swift Eagle 2026 joint training in Hubei. Under the theme of “joint counter-terrorism operations in urban terrain”, the training will focus on subjects including surveillance and counter surveillance, seizure-and-control and protection,and elimination and defense. As the 4th iteration, the joint training will help enhance combat capabilities of the participating troops and deepen substantive cooperation between the two militaries.
