Opinions & Interviews

BEIJING, 28 June (BelTA) – Belarus is a good venue for the interaction of various integration associations, Gong Jianwei, the Executive Director of the Secretariat of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and a former ambassador of China to Belarus, told BelTA.

He remarked that Belarus has become an observer at the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia during China’s presidency in CICA. Belarus is expanding the horizons of diplomacy and foreign policy. The diplomat is convinced that Belarus will become an active participant of the Belt and Road Initiative of China President Xi Jinping.

“Belarus is a good venue for the connectivity of various integration associations, its authority is enhancing. This opens up additional opportunities for the strengthening of the Belarusian-Chinese relations,” Gong Jianwei is convinced.

In his words, it is important that the participants of the second CICA Non-Governmental Forum which is held in Beijing on 28-29 June focused on the uniting aspects of security.

Partaking in the CICA Non-Governmental Forum, Wu Xiaoqiu who served as China’s ambassador to Belarus in 1998-2002 said that as a European observer country Belarus is important for CICA and the SCO. The diplomat stressed that Asian states make up the majority of participants in these organizations.

Wu Xiaoqiu believes that the Belarusian-Chinese relations have been increasingly vibrant in the recent decade and are vigorously developing now, especially taking into account the Belt and Road joint development.

During the presidency of China which began in 2014, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia has gained renewed momentum. During this period Xi Jinping suggested setting up the CICA Non-Governmental Forum.

The second CICA Non-Governmental Forum in Beijing has brought together international experts, representatives of leading research centers and non-governmental organizations, mass media, influential politicians and diplomats.