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Xi Jinping invites Alexander Lukashenko to attend second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing
Andrei Dapkiunas and Cui Qiming. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
MINSK, 16 January (BelTA) – China President Xi Jinping has invited Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to take part in the second international high-level Belt and Road Forum. The personal invitation was handed over by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Belarus Cui Qiming as he met with Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Dapkiunas on 16 January, BelTA has learned.
During the meeting the sides discussed preparations for the forum, which is due in Beijing in April 2019. The Belarusian head of state took part in the first forum as one of the heads of 29 nations and international organizations. Ways to step up economic interaction between the countries belonging to the Silk Road Economic Belt were discussed, in particular, the formation of a transport, energy, and trade corridor between countries of Asia and Europe.
Belarus is a key link in the Belt and Road initiative considering the successful implementation of the project to create the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone, which Xi Jinping described as a pearl of the Silk Road. Plans have been made to arrange an international forum Belt and Road in the park in July 2019 in order to bolster its appeal to international investors.
Apart from that, during the meeting Cui Qiming and Andrei Dapkiunas discussed a number of other matters concerning bilateral cooperation. They mentioned the commonality of approaches to the main topics on the bilateral agenda and the international one. The Chinese ambassador expressed gratitude for the consistent support offered by the Belarusian head of state, the government, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the One China policy. The deputy minister of foreign affairs confirmed that Belarus’ support for China’s approach to Taiwan-related matters is principled and is based on the recognition of the objective righteousness of this approach and its concordance with fundamental interests of the Chinese nation.
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