June 29, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on June 29, with the Chinese leader reportedly expressing satisfaction with bilateral ties and stressing that China and Belarus should maintain their “strategic communication.”
According to Pul Pervogo, a Telegram channel linked to the Belarusian ruler’s press office, Xi Jinping told Łukašenka that relations between China and Belarus are “experiencing a historic peak” and described the two countries as “iron friends” whose partnership has “withstood any tests of international turbulence.”
According to the Chinese foreign ministry, Xi stressed the need for maintaining “strategic communication” and continuing to “advance bilateral relations at a high level.”
Xi reportedly said that Beijing supports Belarus “in defending its state sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and in choosing a development path suited to its own national conditions.” Xi did not say what threatens Belarus’ territorial integrity.
Xi added that political trust between Beijing and Minsk is “as solid as rock” and that cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative has produced “rich results.”
Pul Pervogo quoted Łukašenka as saying that he values Xi’s “positive assessment” of the current state of bilateral relations. He pointed to the rise of the Great Stone Industrial Park near Minsk as an example of “successful cooperation,” noting that Chinese companies account for a large share of the foreign investment in the project.
Łukašenka reportedly said that Belarus uses Chinese technologies in all sectors of its economy and is satisfied with their quality. The Chinese foreign ministry quoted him as expressing readiness to “continue close coordination with China on international and regional issues and jointly promote peace, development and stability in the world and in the region.”
The Belarusian ruler arrived in China on June 28 and was met at Beijing’s Shoudu Airport by Education Minister Huai Jinpeng.
China’s CCTV reported that Xi received Łukašenka in the Chinese government’s Diaoyutai residence. Pul Pervogo said that a “traditional family lunch,” a sign of “special personal trust” between the two leaders would follow the talks.
Łukašenka’s trip to China marks the start of a tour of East and Southeast Asia following two days of informal talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Łukašenka is expected to visit three countries, his press office said earlier, without specifying the destinations.
