Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 25 May (BelTA) – Belarus is ready to increase meat and milk supplies to China, Belarus’ Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov said in an interview to Xinhua News Agency of China, BelTA has learned.

“China is the world's largest food importer. Experts predict the further growth of the Chinese meat and dairy market. Belarus is ready to offer high-quality and eco-friendly products to Chinese consumers,” Andrei Kobyakov said.

China has been actively developing container routes to the EU through Belarus as part of its Belt and Road initiative. In 2017, more than 2,700 Chinese container trains passing through Belarus (up 700 trains from 2016). There are plans to increase this figure to 5,000 by 2020.

“The prospects of Belarusian food supplies to China with the use of these container routes look very attractive. We have already been supplying high-quality Belarusian milk to China. We have recently got all necessary permits for the delivery of Belarusian beef and poultry. I hope that in 2018 we will show good dynamics and solid figures in Belarusian food supplies to China via the Belt and Road container routes," the Belarusian head of government said.

Belarus’ export potential in the food and other sectors will be on show at the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai in November 2018. The country’s large-scale national exposition will display promising areas for bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, and humanitarian sectors, business and recreation opportunities. Belarus’ participation in the Shanghai expo will add an additional impetus to the economic cooperation with China, Andrei Kobyakov said.

According to him, since 2017 the two countries have witnessed a turning point in mutual trade. “We are expanding the range of Belarusian exports of commodity items, reducing the share of potassium and petrochemicals in the export structure. The new growth drivers are Belarusian agricultural products, wood products, technological devices and electrical equipment. Agricultural machinery and haulers still have big prospects for growth,” the prime minister said.