Beijing, 5 December 2023 (TDI): On Monday, Alexander Lukashenko and Chinese President Xi Jinping vowed to strengthen bilateral relations and deepen cooperation in a significant biannual visit by the Belarus President to Beijing.
Lukashenko, who is considered the close aide of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is on a “working visit” to the Chinese capital. He and was met by Xi at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and both engaged in a three-hour-long productive talk.
Xi reaffirmed to Lukashenko that both nations ought to bolster cross-border transportation and encourage economic and trade initiatives such as the China-Belarus Industrial Park, and promote people-to-people contacts.
Belarus is sanctioned by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, the Netherlands, and several other nations for backing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as for deep-rooted issues of political persecution.
In addition to the commitment to improve reciprocal ties and increase collaboration, Chinese leader Xi assured Lukashenko that China firmly supports Belarus’ pursuit of a development path based on its national circumstances and rejects outsider involvement in its domestic affairs.
Xi said that over 150 nations have signed cooperation documents for the Belt and Road Initiative in the last decade.
Xi urged Belarus to continue its active participation in the joint construction of the Belt and Road while citing the eight major steps he announced at the inaugural event of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October to encourage exceptional Belt and Road cooperation.
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The Belarussian President emphasized that the historic growth in relations had provided a significant push for the broadening of collaboration in traditional areas as well as the launch of new avenues and systems for partnership.
Lukashenko praised his country’s strong link with economic powerhouse China in the face of harsh sanctions imposed by the West. He termed China as a ‘reliable partner’ of Belarus.
This marked the second visit by the Belarusian President to China in 2023. Since March, the mutual visits between the two countries totaled over 120.
