Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 26 July (BelTA) - Cooperation with China might help bring hi-tech companies to Belarus, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko told media on 26 July answering a question about his recent visit to the People’s Republic of China, BelTA has learnt.

Alexander Lukashenko called Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park the most important joint project. “This will be an industrial zone where hi-tech companies from all over the world will be concentrated,” the Belarusian President noted.

Alexander Lukashenko underlined that Belarus seeks to develop modern hi-tech industries, not merely create new jobs. “We boast high-skilled specialists and high-level education. If someone comes to us and if we give them some preferences we would like them to bring hi-tech products here,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

According to Alexander Lukashenko, the products from the industrial park will be sold abroad including to Europe and the U.S., which is why these should be high-level products. “Moreover, President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping mentioned during the talks that they are ready to develop, design, create and sell products here. In other words, they are ready to deliver a complete manufacturing cycle. Secondly, these should be high-technology products. This is what we need,” Alexander Lukashenko said.

“Specialists say that this will result in $50 billion worth of export products per year. This equals the amount we produce and export today. If this happens we will not have any problems with foreign currency earnings. This is why we need this industrial park, we need to attract investment of hi-tech companies, so that we will be able to make a breakthrough,” the head of state stressed.

Alexander Lukashenko also commented on some suspicions and criticism concerning the construction of Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park. He attributed this to the fact that a lot of claimants wanted to create a similar object on their territory: “Both the Ukrainians and Russians wanted it, but our Chinese friends decided to build this park in Belarus. This is not only our merit, though if there had not been suitable conditions here they would not have come here. They also chose us because we boast advantageous geographical position and logistics that suit them. That is why we should be grateful to them for their choice to build the park in our country.”

“There is no need to allege that there is a lack of land here or something else. Everyone will get enough of everything. We are not going to infringe upon people’s interests or treat them badly. If someone finds it inconvenient to live next to this park we will provide them with better land in order not to hurt them,” Alexander Lukashenko added.

Alexander Lukashenko named other significant projects pertaining to Belarusian-Chinese cooperation. They are the construction of the Lebyazhyi residential compound and the Beijing hotel.