Opinions & Interviews
China’s experience of development viewed as important for Belarus
MINSK, 14 November (BelTA) – China’s experience of effective development is very important for Belarus which is building a mutually beneficial strategic partnership with the PRC, Director of the Confucius Institute of Belarusian State University, Professor Anatoly Tozik said as he addressed the second international conference “China’s experience of reform and opening up and its relevance for the Belarusian model of sustainable social and economic development”, BelTA has learned.
“The goals of social and economic development of Belarus almost coincide with those of social and economic development of the People's Republic of China. Belarus has entered a period of systemic modernization of its economy. In this regard, the experience of China's policy of reform and opening up in terms of its application in Belarus is of great interest to us,” Anatoly Tozik said.
In his opinion, studying such experience and preparing recommendations on its application is a big and complex task facing Belarusian scientists. “We look forward to the assistance of our Chinese counterparts in this endeavor. After all, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted the need to support foreign scientific societies and foundations dealing with China matters,” the professor said.
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Belarus Cui Qiming noted that since 1978 China has been pursuing a policy of reform and opening up, socialist modernization. “Back then the world economy was growing rapidly, and China's state-building needed an impetus. Members of the Communist Party of China led by Deng Xiaoping analyzed the positive and negative experience of the People's Republic of China in socialist construction, drew lessons from the historical experience of world socialism. Deng Xiaoping’s theory proclaimed, a historic decision was made to promote economic construction and transit to a policy of reform and opening up, which started the construction of socialism with Chinese characteristics,” the head of the Chinese diplomatic mission said.
“For 40 years, China has prioritized economic construction. Here's the results: China's gross domestic product expanded from $174.9 billion in 1977 to $13.6 trillion in 2018,” Cui Qiming noted. In 2010, China became the second largest economy in the world. In 2018, the total imports and exports of Chinese goods reached $4.6 trillion, going up 223 times from 1978 and ranking first worldwide for the last two years. As of late August 2019, China's foreign exchange reserves stood at $3.1 trillion, remaining the world’s largest for the past 13 years.
According to the ambassador, China’s policy of reform and opening up has contributed to a significant increase in incomes and a reduction in the number of the poor.
China has become the first developing country that achieved the UN Goal on Poverty Reduction, contributing more than 70% to global poverty reduction.
The 40-year-old experience has proved the worthiness of the chosen way to build socialism with Chinese characteristics which adjusts to the realities of time, the diplomat said.
“In recent years, the Chinese-Belarusian strategic partnership has been steadily growing with the support of China President Xi Jinping and Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko. Interaction within the Belt and Road Initiative makes an important part of our cooperation,” said the head of the Chinese diplomatic mission.
Participants of the conference discussed such issues as China's experience in promoting and empowering private initiative and entrepreneurship in agriculture and industry, and China's best practices in supporting small and medium-sized businesses and creating conditions for the full implementation of their potential. The focus was made on the management strategy of Chinese state-owned enterprises, the balance of public and private sectors in the Chinese socialist economy model, ways to attract foreign direct investment and technology to China’s economy. Participants of the conference also talked over the role of social sciences in the development of China’s domestic and foreign policies and successful social and economic development, the experience of attracting knowledge and expertise of foreign scientists and specialists by Chinese universities and research institutes, and also the social policy of new China.
Taking part in the conference at the National Confucius Institute of Chinese Studies were scientists and specialists of Tsinghua University (Beijing), Lanzhou University of Finance and Economics, Henan University (Kaifeng) and also research institutes and leading universities of Belarus. The event was attended by rector of the Belarusian State University Andrei Korol, Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus Aleksandr Shumilin.
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