Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 26 September (BelTA) – Belarus and China are working on the program of all-round strategic partnership through 2020, Vice Premier of Belarus, Chairman of the Belarusian part of the Belarusian-Chinese commission for trade and economic cooperation Anatoly Tozik said at the solemn meeting in the House of Friendship on 26 September to mark the 64^th anniversary of the foundation of the People’s Republic of China, BelTA has learnt.

According to the official, the initial version of the draft program is under finalization. It is expected that the document will be signed during the visit of the Belarusian Prime Minister to Beijing later this year.

Anatoly Tozik stressed: “This year will go down in history of the bilateral relations as a year full of important and remarkable events as well as the most systemic and dynamic cooperation since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.”

Anatoly Tozik named the visit of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko to China in July 2013 the most significant event of the year. “The Belarusian head of state held meetings with President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping, Premier of the State Council of China Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng in an exclusively friendly atmosphere. The visit resulted in the signing of more than 30 documents to boost the Belarusian-Chinese relations in political, economic and humanitarian areas,” the Vice Premier said.

In his words, the joint declaration signed by the leaders of the two countries provides for a new level of bilateral cooperation – all-round strategic partnership. According to Anatoly Tozik, it fully meets the present development stage in the Belarusian-Chinese relations. “At the same time it makes both the sides, our government bodies and public organizations, more responsible for the building truly reliable and mutually beneficial relations, the relations of mutual understanding and support,” Anatoly Tozik noted. He stressed that the visit of Member of the Standing Committee of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China Liu Yunshan to Belarus in September 2013 proved that China attaches particular importance to the development of strategic relations with the Republic of Belarus. “We appreciate it greatly,” Anatoly Tozik added.