The United Shield-2017 joint anti-terrorism drill, which was jointly held for the first time by the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force (APF) and the Internal Troops of the Belarusian Interior Ministry, started in the suburb of Minsk, capital of Belarus, on July 11, 2017.

Major General Yang Guangyao, deputy commander of the APF, said at the drill’s opening ceremony that the drill is a concrete action of military exchanges between the Chinese armed police troops and the internal security troops of Belarus, which is designed to enhance mutual understanding and communication, upgrade the two sides’ coordination in joint operations and verify the ability of the two sides to deal with sudden terrorist threat. The drill did not aim at any third-party countries or regions, Yang mentioned.

Yang believed that with the joint drill, the friendly cooperative relations between China and Belarus will for sure reach a new level resulting in more pragmatic cooperation in various fields and more profound China-Belarus friendship.

Major General Yuri Karayev, chief of the Internal Troops of the Belarusian Interior Ministry, said in his speech at the drill’s opening ceremony that the relations between Belarus and China are currently developing fast, and the exchange and cooperation between the two countries and their peoples have a broad prospect, which is perfectly evidenced by the United Shield-2017 joint drill.

The over 10-day joint drill will be held at several tactical training ranges of the Belarusian Internal Troops. A total of 62 members with 31 from each side will take part in the drill, which focuses on such detachment tactical training as destroying camps of illegal armed groups, capturing criminals in buildings, hunting and annihilating armed criminals in urban areas, and anti-hijacking tactics on various means of transport.