Aleksandr Lukashenko holds extended talks with China President Xi Jinping
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President of Belarus Aleksandr Lukashenko suggested elaborating a new roadmap for the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation at the extended negotiations with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping in Beijing on 16 July.
“You were right when you have said today that we are advancing our relations to a brand-new level, to the stage of strategic partnership. We need to work out a new program, a roadmap, for the future. This is what we need today. I am convinced that by the year-end our government agencies and governments will come up with such a program to foster cooperation between Belarus and China,” the President of Belarus said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko thanked Xi Jinping for the invitation to come to China and for the hospitality offered to the Belarusian delegation.
The Belarusian head of state said that the one-on-one talks were very open and meaningful. “The one-on-one talks took more time than planned, but they will do good to our relations. Our talks have never been more open than now,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.
Xi Jinping, for his part, stated that the relations between Belarus and China have reached an all-time high: “Our relations are advancing steadily, step by step. At present our relations have reached an unprecedented high level. A new age of the robust development of the bilateral relations has begun”.
The President of China emphasized that the President of Belarus is a great friend of the Chinese people. “You have made a huge contribution to the development of Chinese-Belarusian relations. In this historic moment when our relations are entering a new development stage, I am convinced that your visit will surely give an additional impetus to further development of cooperation between our countries,” Xi Jinping said.
The Chinese head of state also remarked that during the one-on-one talks with the Belarusian President in a thorough manner the parties had shared views on various issues relevant for the bilateral relations and had reached a lot of important agreements.
After the negotiations Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping signed a declaration on the establishment of all-round strategic partnership between Belarus and China.
The heads of state were glad to admit that since 20 January 1992 – the day when the two countries established diplomatic relations – the bilateral cooperation has been increasingly vibrant.
In line with the joint declaration, the two countries are determined to establish all-round strategic partnership and are willing to strengthen political trust, improve coordination and expand cooperation in all avenues, enhance mutually beneficial ties, and strengthen contacts in the humanitarian field. “The parties are set to develop the program to promote strategic partnership between Belarus and China,” the document reads,” the document reads.
Belarus and China also agreed to promote contacts on the highest, high and other levels, advance cooperation between the legislative authorities of the two countries, and expand and deepen interregional cooperation.
The document says that resolute mutual support and tight cooperation in matters concerning state independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, interests of national security and development are important ingredients of the all-round strategic partnership.
Belarus reaffirmed its adherence to the One China policy and recognized that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legal government that represents entire China while Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.
In turn, the Chinese side confirmed that it understands and respects the independent domestic and foreign policies pursued by the Republic of Belarus as well as the development way chosen by Belarus. China said it supports Belarus’ efforts aimed at protecting the national independence, sovereignty, securing social and political stability and the development of the national economy. China is against external interference with internal affairs of Belarus under any pretext whatsoever.
According to the declaration, economic cooperation, including trade, economic, and investment interaction, is the cornerstone of the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation. The parties agreed to take effective measures to ramp up the scale of trade, improve the trade structure, raise the share of high added value products and high-tech products in trade.
Belarus and China will also encourage setting up new joint ventures and assembly enterprises in the two countries, will foster cooperation in infrastructure construction, mechanical engineering, telecommunications, construction materials, power engineering, chemical industry, financial sector and other areas. Belarus and China will also step up efforts to improve the investment climate for investors of the two sides.
The countries also stated their eagerness to advance cooperation in informatization and information and communication technologies. Belarus and China intend to discuss the development of an agreement and a bilateral program of cooperation in this sphere as well as the possibility of financial support, including preferential loans, for the sake of implementing the projects the program will include.
The sides agreed to step up efforts to develop multidimensional humanitarian cooperation in all areas and at different levels, reaffirmed the unity or similarity of views and approaches towards the current international and regional issues, and expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation within the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other multilateral organizations.
Belarus and China oppose interference in internal affairs of states using human rights agenda. “The parties believe that the universal principle of human rights should be reconciled with the specific circumstances of every state. Each country is entitled to its own vision of human rights that agrees with the domestic situation and a country’s historical and cultural traditions,” the joint declaration runs.
Belarus and China stated that the countries and peoples of North Africa and the Middle East have the right to choose their own development path that suits best the national interests. They welcome the efforts of interested parties to settle the existing disagreements using an inclusive political dialogue. As far as Iran’s nuclear program and the Syrian agenda are concerned, Belarus and China believe that these matters should be addressed using political and diplomatic means.
The sides are also against any efforts to reconsider the historical results of World War II.
Aleksandr Lukashenko invited Xi Jinping to visit Belarus at any time convenient.
Member of the Belarusian official delegation held productive talks in Beijing, too. The negotiations resulted in signing a big package of documents of bolstering cooperation in various industries.
The sides signed intergovernmental agreements on the implementation of the project to construct a therapeutic building in the Minsk Central District Hospital; the project to construct a students' dormitory in the Republic of Belarus. One more intergovernmental agreement stipulates for technical and economic cooperation.
The General Prosecutor's Office of Belarus and the Supreme People's Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China signed a cooperation agreement.
A cooperation agreement in outer space and defense technologies was signed between the State Military-Industrial Committee of Belarus and the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Agreements on the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park and the establishment of the Harbin subpark at the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park were concluded with Guangdong Province.
The cities of Minsk and Shenzhen signed an agreement on friendly exchanges and cooperation.
A loan agreement was signed on the issue of a soft buyer loan for the implementation of the project “The construction of the NPP in the Republic of Belarus. Electricity generation and connection to the power grid.”
A general agreement on cooperation in the implementation of joint investment projects was signed between the Belarusian Architecture and Construction Ministry and China’s CITIC Construction Co., Ltd.
The Belarusian Industry Ministry and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group signed an agreement on the serial production of cars on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
On 17 July the President of Belarus is set to meet with Premier of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng. Members of the Belarusian delegation will also hold a number of meetings with Chinese partners. There are plans to sign about 20 bilateral agreements which will eventually promote creation of new jobs in the two countries and foster cooperation in various fields. On the whole, Belarus and China are planning to sign $1.5 billion worth of agreements during the official visit of the Belarus President.
“You were right when you have said today that we are advancing our relations to a brand-new level, to the stage of strategic partnership. We need to work out a new program, a roadmap, for the future. This is what we need today. I am convinced that by the year-end our government agencies and governments will come up with such a program to foster cooperation between Belarus and China,” the President of Belarus said.
Aleksandr Lukashenko thanked Xi Jinping for the invitation to come to China and for the hospitality offered to the Belarusian delegation.
The Belarusian head of state said that the one-on-one talks were very open and meaningful. “The one-on-one talks took more time than planned, but they will do good to our relations. Our talks have never been more open than now,” Aleksandr Lukashenko remarked.
Xi Jinping, for his part, stated that the relations between Belarus and China have reached an all-time high: “Our relations are advancing steadily, step by step. At present our relations have reached an unprecedented high level. A new age of the robust development of the bilateral relations has begun”.
The President of China emphasized that the President of Belarus is a great friend of the Chinese people. “You have made a huge contribution to the development of Chinese-Belarusian relations. In this historic moment when our relations are entering a new development stage, I am convinced that your visit will surely give an additional impetus to further development of cooperation between our countries,” Xi Jinping said.
The Chinese head of state also remarked that during the one-on-one talks with the Belarusian President in a thorough manner the parties had shared views on various issues relevant for the bilateral relations and had reached a lot of important agreements.
After the negotiations Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping signed a declaration on the establishment of all-round strategic partnership between Belarus and China.
The heads of state were glad to admit that since 20 January 1992 – the day when the two countries established diplomatic relations – the bilateral cooperation has been increasingly vibrant.
In line with the joint declaration, the two countries are determined to establish all-round strategic partnership and are willing to strengthen political trust, improve coordination and expand cooperation in all avenues, enhance mutually beneficial ties, and strengthen contacts in the humanitarian field. “The parties are set to develop the program to promote strategic partnership between Belarus and China,” the document reads,” the document reads.
Belarus and China also agreed to promote contacts on the highest, high and other levels, advance cooperation between the legislative authorities of the two countries, and expand and deepen interregional cooperation.
The document says that resolute mutual support and tight cooperation in matters concerning state independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, interests of national security and development are important ingredients of the all-round strategic partnership.
Belarus reaffirmed its adherence to the One China policy and recognized that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legal government that represents entire China while Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory.
In turn, the Chinese side confirmed that it understands and respects the independent domestic and foreign policies pursued by the Republic of Belarus as well as the development way chosen by Belarus. China said it supports Belarus’ efforts aimed at protecting the national independence, sovereignty, securing social and political stability and the development of the national economy. China is against external interference with internal affairs of Belarus under any pretext whatsoever.
According to the declaration, economic cooperation, including trade, economic, and investment interaction, is the cornerstone of the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation. The parties agreed to take effective measures to ramp up the scale of trade, improve the trade structure, raise the share of high added value products and high-tech products in trade.
Belarus and China will also encourage setting up new joint ventures and assembly enterprises in the two countries, will foster cooperation in infrastructure construction, mechanical engineering, telecommunications, construction materials, power engineering, chemical industry, financial sector and other areas. Belarus and China will also step up efforts to improve the investment climate for investors of the two sides.
The countries also stated their eagerness to advance cooperation in informatization and information and communication technologies. Belarus and China intend to discuss the development of an agreement and a bilateral program of cooperation in this sphere as well as the possibility of financial support, including preferential loans, for the sake of implementing the projects the program will include.
The sides agreed to step up efforts to develop multidimensional humanitarian cooperation in all areas and at different levels, reaffirmed the unity or similarity of views and approaches towards the current international and regional issues, and expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation within the United Nations, Shanghai Cooperation Organization and other multilateral organizations.
Belarus and China oppose interference in internal affairs of states using human rights agenda. “The parties believe that the universal principle of human rights should be reconciled with the specific circumstances of every state. Each country is entitled to its own vision of human rights that agrees with the domestic situation and a country’s historical and cultural traditions,” the joint declaration runs.
Belarus and China stated that the countries and peoples of North Africa and the Middle East have the right to choose their own development path that suits best the national interests. They welcome the efforts of interested parties to settle the existing disagreements using an inclusive political dialogue. As far as Iran’s nuclear program and the Syrian agenda are concerned, Belarus and China believe that these matters should be addressed using political and diplomatic means.
The sides are also against any efforts to reconsider the historical results of World War II.
Aleksandr Lukashenko invited Xi Jinping to visit Belarus at any time convenient.
Member of the Belarusian official delegation held productive talks in Beijing, too. The negotiations resulted in signing a big package of documents of bolstering cooperation in various industries.
The sides signed intergovernmental agreements on the implementation of the project to construct a therapeutic building in the Minsk Central District Hospital; the project to construct a students' dormitory in the Republic of Belarus. One more intergovernmental agreement stipulates for technical and economic cooperation.
The General Prosecutor's Office of Belarus and the Supreme People's Procuratorate of the People’s Republic of China signed a cooperation agreement.
A cooperation agreement in outer space and defense technologies was signed between the State Military-Industrial Committee of Belarus and the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense.
Agreements on the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park and the establishment of the Harbin subpark at the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park were concluded with Guangdong Province.
The cities of Minsk and Shenzhen signed an agreement on friendly exchanges and cooperation.
A loan agreement was signed on the issue of a soft buyer loan for the implementation of the project “The construction of the NPP in the Republic of Belarus. Electricity generation and connection to the power grid.”
A general agreement on cooperation in the implementation of joint investment projects was signed between the Belarusian Architecture and Construction Ministry and China’s CITIC Construction Co., Ltd.
The Belarusian Industry Ministry and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group signed an agreement on the serial production of cars on the territory of the Republic of Belarus.
On 17 July the President of Belarus is set to meet with Premier of the People’s Republic of China Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Yu Zhengsheng. Members of the Belarusian delegation will also hold a number of meetings with Chinese partners. There are plans to sign about 20 bilateral agreements which will eventually promote creation of new jobs in the two countries and foster cooperation in various fields. On the whole, Belarus and China are planning to sign $1.5 billion worth of agreements during the official visit of the Belarus President.