After establishing an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership in September last year, China and Belarus vowed on Wednesday that the two countries will further develop exemplary relations of the partnership in the new era.
The agreement was reached in a joint statement signed after talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and visiting Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in Beijing.
The two heads of state witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in the fields of economy and trade, industry, agriculture, customs, science and technology, health, tourism and sports and local affairs.
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 1, 2023. /Xinhua
China-Belarus friendship ‘unbreakable’
Highlighting that China-Belarus friendship is unbreakable, Xi said that the two sides should enhance political mutual trust and remain each other’s “true friends and good partners”.
China highly appreciates firm support from Belarus for China’s legitimate position on issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong and human rights, he said.
On strengthening bilateral cooperation, the Chinese president stressed making further efforts in expanding economic and trade cooperation, building the China-Belarus Industrial Park, jointly building the Belt and Road, and advancing connectivity construction such as the China-Europe freight trains.
Lukashenko said that Belarus is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in science and technology, industry, agriculture and tourism, push forward the construction of China-Europe freight trains and the industrial park, welcome Chinese enterprises to invest in Belarus and strengthen local and cultural exchanges.
The Great Stone China-Belarus Industrial Park is the largest project to attract investment in Belarus and a landmark cooperation project within the Belt and Road framework, which was promoted by the two heads of state personally and prized by the two governments.
Since the two countries’ leaders visited the industrial park in May 2015, development and construction of the project have forged ahead, and fruitful results have been achieved.
According to the National Statistical Committee of Belarus, the net profit of the enterprises of the industrial park totals 34.1 million Belarusian rubles ($13.51 million) in 2022, up 144 percent from the previous year.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. Belarus, as an important transit hub on the Silk Road Economic Belt, was one of the first countries to respond and participate in the initiative.
With the growth of bilateral ties, China and Belarus have seen a boom in trade over the past years. Statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China show that two-way trade surpassed $5 billion in 2022, up 33 percent year on year.
President Xi holds a welcome ceremony for President Lukashenko in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, China, March 1, 2023. /Xinhua
Jointly defending international equity, justice
As for safeguarding world peace and development, Xi said China appreciates Belarus’s support for the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative.
China stands ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Belarus at the United Nations and other multilateral platforms to jointly address global challenges and build a community with a shared future for mankind, he added.
Noting that China is a mainstay in safeguarding world peace, Lukashenko said that Belarus is willing to strengthen coordination with China on major international and regional issues and jointly commit to safeguarding international and regional security and stability.
The two leaders also exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine and other issues.
Xi stressed that China’s position on the Ukrainian crisis is consistent and clear, and Beijing has issued a position paper on the political settlement of the crisis.
Relevant countries should stop politicizing and instrumenting the world economy, and do things that are conducive to ceasefire, cessation of war and peaceful settlement of the crisis, he said.
Lukashenko said Belarus fully agrees with and supports China’s position and proposition on the political settlement of the Ukrainian crisis, adding that it is of great significance to resolving the crisis.
China released a paper stating its position on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis on Friday. In the paper, China proposes a solution to the crisis that addresses both the symptoms and root causes, affirming that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable solution to the Ukraine crisis.
