Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 21 September (BelTA) – Belarus is confident in long-term and efficient development of cooperation with China, Chairman of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Mikhail Myasnikovich said at a meeting with Zhao Leji, the member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the CPC, on 21 September, BelTA informs.

The speaker stressed that Belarus is grateful to the Chinese leadership, personally President Xi Jinping, and the Chinese people for friendship and support in the international arena and bilateral relations. “We are confident that the highest level of trust and cooperation that President Xi Jinping and President Alexander Lukashenko have developed between our countries will be long-term and efficient, and will expand with new mutually beneficial projects in the interests of the two countries,” Mikhail Myasnikovich said.

The chairman of the Council of the Republic added that the establishment of a special level of the Belarusian-Chinese relations in 2016, which is trust-based all-round strategic partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation, secured a necessary basis for expanding bilateral relations. According to Mikhail Myasnikovich, Belarus learns a lot from China, seeks to adopt its experience, and was among the first countries to support China’s Belt and Road global project. “We believe in this project and take an active part in it. We invite public and private companies of China to broader economic cooperation. We have potential for this. Belarus fulfills its obligations under all international agreements in full,” the speaker said.

Mikhail Myasnikovich thanked China for technical assistance in the ongoing construction of a football stadium and an international-class pool in Belarus. He is convinced that the commissioning of these facilities will be a landmark event in bilateral relations. The chairman of the Council of the Republic suggested speeding up procedural matters and arranging a schedule of work in order to introduce the stadium and the pool in 2020.

Zhao Leji noted that he is glad to visit Belarus. “China and Belarus are friends that can share both joy and hardship. They are good partners who always provide sincere help to each other,” he stressed.

In January-July 2018, the trade between Belarus and China amounted to almost $2 billion (up 29% to the same period in 2017). The largest project of bilateral cooperation is the Great Stone Industrial Park. As of 31 August 2018, the park registered 37 residents.