Meeting with China President Xi Jinping

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China can always count on the support of Belarus in every area, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko said as he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“Today when trade disputes are aggravating and when some countries show reluctance to see China growing strong it is especially evident who is a true friend or, as they say in China, an all-weather friend. Belarus has never doubted the correctness of the initiatives you pursue. China can always count on our support in any area. Likewise, we are always sure of support from your side,” the Belarusian leader said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko underlined that he is happy to meet Xi Jinping again and wished every success to the Second Silk and Road Forum. “Thanks to you, this format has become a useful and much needed platform for regular meetings of like-minded people,” the Belarusian President said.

He also extended greetings to the Chinese President and people on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Reform and Opening-Up, which the country marked in 2018, and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the New China, which is celebrated this year. “Being a guarantor of the party’s stability and China’s development in today’s unpredictable world, your role in these political and economic successes is obvious,” the head of state said.

Aleksandr Lukashenko hailed the results of the joint work to promote bilateral cooperation. In 2018, the trade in goods and services between Belarus and China reached almost $4.5 billion. Thanks to the access to the Chinese market, China International Import Expo, development of railway routes, Belarus’ export of agricultural and food products to China rose 4.5 times within a year, that of dairy products nine times.

In turn, Xi Jinping stressed that over the past six years since the Belt and Road  was launched, the cooperation to implement it has been successful. “The Great Stone industrial park has become one of the exemplary projects of our cooperation,” the Chinese President said.

He added that he is ready, together with Belarus, to tap into the opportunities of cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road project with a view to improving bilateral relations for the benefit of the peoples of Belarus and China.

Xi Jinping also praised Belarus’ big successes in state construction and economic development.

The documents on bilateral cooperation were signed at the end of the meeting in the presence of the heads of state. They include an intergovernmental agreement on international road transport of passengers and cargo. The parties also put signatures to the concept of the forum for regional cooperation and development within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative.

After the signing ceremony Xi Jinping showed Aleksandr Lukashenko the layouts of a football stadium and a swimming pool which the Chinese side wants to gift to Belarus. The heads of state also exchanged gifts. Xi Jinping gave Aleksandr Lukashenko a blue and white porcelain vase.

The Belarusian leader gave his Chinese counterpart several books with Belarusian proverbs translated into Chinese and also four books with works of Chinese poets translated into Belarusian. Xi Jinping was also happy to receive a painting depicting the village where he lived for several years.