Chinese President Starts State Visit to BelarusJiang and his wife, who arrived in the capital of Belarus from Moscow, were greeted at the airport by Belarussian Prime Minister Vladimir Yermoshin and his wife, and Chinese Ambassador Wu Xiaoqiu. Jiang's entourage includes Vice Premier Qian Qichen. During his one-day stay in Belarus, the Chinese president is expected to hold talks with Belarussian President Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko, Prime Minister Yermoshin and parliament leaders to discuss ways to further bilateral ties in the 21st century. In a written statement issued upon his arrival, Jiang said that since China and Belarus established diplomatic relations in 1992, bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, education and sports areas has been expanding. He said that "It is our common task to deepen friendship and enhance cooperation" in order to meet new challenges in the 21st century. "I believe that the Sino-Belarussian relations will undoubtedly develop further in the 21st century," said the Chinese president. Jiang is on the second leg of his five-nation European tour, which has already taken him to Russia and will also take him to Moldova, Ukraine and Malta. |
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