Opinions & Interviews

MFA: Belarusian president’s visit to Beijing is a milestone event in relations with China

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MINSK, 28 March (BelTA) – Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko's state visit to Beijing became a significant event in the bilateral relations with China, Deputy Head of the Asia, Australia and Oceania Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Vadim Senyuta said at the round table “China on the Road to Development and Renewal” in the House of Friendship on 28 March, BelTA has learned.

He spoke in detail about the visit of the head of state to China. The visit was held at the invitation of President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping from 28 February to 2 March. The visit took place just before the historic “two sessions” of the National People's Congress and the Consultative Council and had the status of a state visit with all the attendant ceremonies. It was the 13th high-level visit to China and the 13th meeting with President Xi Jinping.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed gratitude to the Chinese embassy in Belarus for the close and fruitful cooperation in the preparation of the visit.

“The heads of state held four-hour talks in a warm and friendly atmosphere, during which they exchanged views on the entire spectrum of Belarusian-Chinese cooperation, as well as on the international and regional agenda. During the visit, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping signed a joint statement on further development of all-weather and comprehensive strategic partnership between the Republic of Belarus and the People's Republic of China in the new era. It has been prepared as a follow-up of the joint declaration, adopted at the meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council in Samarkand on 15 September 2022. The document reveals the main principles of development of exemplary relations of all-weather and comprehensive partnership in the new era,” Vadim Senyuta said.

“These principles include mutual support of the state course and mutual support on issues affecting the fundamental interests of each other; close cooperation on regional and global security; support for the early accession of Belarus to the SCO; support and promotion of Beijing's initiatives in global development and global security, China's position on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis,” he said.

During the visit, the parties also signed a memorandum on strengthening cooperation as part of the Global Development Initiative to implement projects in industrialization, digital economy, green development, food security, and healthcare with financial support from China. Belarus is ready to deepen interaction in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative across the entire spectrum of cooperation, including the Green, Digital and Health Silk Roads.

The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the importance of the signed Comprehensive Strategy for Joint Technological Development (partnership in the new industrial revolution, development of industrial cooperation, promotion of modernization of Belarusian industries). The main areas are mechanical engineering, electronics and optomechanical production, production of chemical products and others.

During the state visit, Belarus and China signed 27 intergovernmental, interagency and interregional agreements and over ten commercial agreements in various fields. They included a program for scientific and technical cooperation until 2024, documents on cooperation in banking, state control, healthcare, agriculture and food, construction and architecture, sports, tourism, broadcasting and television, and also between agencies and publishing houses of the two countries.

Vadim Senyuta also stated that special attention was paid to interregional cooperation. In the course of the visit, the parties discussed in detail the expansion of logistics chains, including transit traffic, and in particular the China-Europe railway route, strengthening of transport and logistics links and acceleration of cargo processing, increase of the number of direct flights from Belarus to China.

“Cooperation with China tends to strengthen on all fronts. Today, China is Belarus' second trade partner behind Russia. In 2022, the trade between the countries amounted to a record $5.8 billion. Belarus’ export to China increased by 77%,” the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed.

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