News & Events in Belarus

Lukashenko, Xi Jinping reaffirm commitment to friendship, agree to enhance relations

BEIJING, 4 June (BelTA) — Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Chinese President Xi Jinping have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening friendship and cooperation between the two countries, BelTA has learned.

The visit of the Belarusian head of state to China is over. Aleksandr Lukashenko's visit to Beijing focused on negotiations with representatives of Chinese business community. The main event was a meeting with Xi Jinping, which was held for the first time at the Chinese leader's home - at the Zhongnanhai residence. This is a sign of special favor and friendship between the heads of state.

“My office is literally next door. This is the first time I receive you here,” Xi Jinping said during the meeting.

Aleksandr Lukashenko noted, in turn, that he greatly appreciates the friendly attitude of his Chinese counterpart: “Enough to say that you have invited me to your home [the meeting took place at Xi Jinping's residence]. I am very grateful to you and, naturally, I invite you to my home.”

“I am still surprised and amazed by the way you treat your guests, although this is my 15th time in China and I have been cooperating with your country for 30 years already. Believe me, this is a widely shared opinion. We discuss it with other presidents, especially leaders of the post-Soviet republics. We have the same opinion about it. And we don't take it for granted; we appreciate it very much,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The leader of the People's Republic of China gave a warm welcome to the president of Belarus. The Chinese leader highlighted their long personal friendship.

“I would like to congratulate you once again on your re-election as president of Belarus. This showed how much the people of Belarus support and trust you. I am confident that under your leadership your country will achieve even greater success,” Xi Jinping said.

The leaders' communication lasted for two and a half hours. Summarizing the results of the visit in a brief interview with the media, Aleksandr Lukashenko said: “Everything went perfectly well. I have met with my friend and we have talked. We agreed that we should intensify our interaction. It was very fruitful,” the president said.

“It was a family-like meeting. Not an official one, not a working one, but a family-like. The Chinese organized everything at the highest level. Well done. Meetings took place with [representatives of] the economic and financial sectors. Today we met with the President [Xi Jinping], Foreign Minister Wang Yi, an old friend of ours,” the president said. “I think the visit was successful. The main thing is that the corridor has been widened for them [officials on both sides] – so go ahead. That is why I told the ambassador: ‘You are fully responsible for relations with China. These are new opportunities for us.”

On a unique format of the visit

The program of the Belarusian leader's visit to China initially envisaged a traditional friendly family meeting with the president of the People's Republic of China.

First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov, who oversees Belarus' relations with China and was also part of the Belarusian delegation, emphasized the special format of Aleksandr Lukashenko's visit to China in an interview with the media.

“The talks are an additional activity. The main thing is the trip, which in principle [the level of communication] is not applied to any other world leader. It is a friendly family dinner. That is the main thing. This is the focus of the whole trip,” he said. “The international community should follow the example of friendship, mutual support, and joint development between Belarus and China, as the president’s current visit demonstrates. This is not a working or official visit. It is a visit for a family friendly dinner. Perhaps it would be great for the leaders of world powers to get together and talk about the common future of their peoples.”

According to Nikolai Snopkov, Belarus was one of the first to support the Chinese leader's initiative to build a community with a shared future for mankind. “This is not even an economic path, but a moral one. We are following it,” Nikolai Snopkov stressed.

On one of the major areas of cooperation with China

Prior to the meeting of the two leaders in Beijing, Aleksandr Lukashenko held talks with representatives of Chinese business community.

Speaking about the upcoming meeting with the president of the People's Republic of China, the head of state named one of the main issues on the agenda of Belarusian-Chinese cooperation: “This is the machine-building industry and technological modernization of certain areas of industry in Belarus. This is the idea of President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, who is aiming at a scientific and technical revolution in machine building.”

In general, the leaders of Belarus and China had a global agenda to discuss taking the current situation into account. “The bilateral agenda is no less global and strategic. Therefore, of course, our leader could not fail to address issues that are sensitive and important to us in strategic terms,” the first deputy prime minister said.

He added that back in 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping suggested more active promotion of joint technological development between Belarus and China based on modern Chinese technologies and Belarusian industrial expertise. This first of all pertained to mechanical engineering, tractor manufacturing, and transport engineering. “Since then, we have been very actively developing the topic. A communiqué was signed during the visit of [Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China] Li Qiang. The parties have signed detailed joint roadmaps, which define specific projects. This topic is gaining momentum. The Year of Science and Technology is coming to an end. Next year, we will launch a two-year period dedicated to industrial cooperation. Therefore, today's meeting is a strategic message for more extensive and in-depth cooperation with one of the world's leading manufacturers of heavy machinery,” Nikolai Snopkov said.

On strong friendship and China’s role in global world order

Long-standing friendship between Belarus and China is growing stronger. So is the inviolable political trust. Bilateral cooperation is expanding in almost all areas, Chinese President Xi Jinping said. “We maintain close contacts and coordinate our actions on the international arena, be it within the SCO or the UN. Neither Belarus nor China will ever bow to any international hegemony or yield to the policy of bullying. Together, we defend international justice and equality,” the Chinese leader added.

Xi Jinping invited Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and a parade in Beijing that will take place in late August - early September this year.

Many countries, including Belarus, are closely watching Beijing, Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

“You have very correctly identified the main trend of our time - the West's unprecedented pressure on us, primarily on the People's Republic of China. And today the eyes of many countries, including Belarus, are on you - Beijing,” the Belarusian leader emphasized.

According to him, five years ago people would say: “If China holds out, the world will be balanced and will go on.”

“Today they are already saying: 'China has held out, China will not allow the world order to be broken'. Many nations strongly believe in this. I have heard this from the heads of state with whom I have met,” said Aleksandr Lukashenko.