Pune, India. 19 June 2021. Lebanon’s military has received 60 B80VJ and 40 Sinotruk Howo vehicles as part of military assistance from China.
The B80VJ is a four-wheel vehicle manufactured by Beijing Aunty, a Chinese company. It can perform the roles of a command vehicle, utility vehicle, and light assault vehicle. It is anticipated that it will increase the mobility of the Lebanese Army significantly since it is capable of carrying a machine gun or a light rocket launcher. However, the 60 units sent to Lebanon are unarmed. Meanwhile, the Howo is a six-wheel drive military tractor truck produced by Chinese firm Sinotruk.
The delivery ceremony took place at Baabda on 11 June 2021, with China’s Ambassador to Lebanon Qian Minjian, Chinese military attaché Brig. Gen. Zheng Yuchong, Lebanese General Inspector Maj. Gen. Milad Ishaq, and Armed Forces Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun in attendance.
When asked is the military aid represents a geopolitical shift from the West to the East, retired Lebanese Army Brig. Gen. Maroun Hitti disagreed, saying that, “There is no conflict arena created by this donation between China and the West.”
