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Xi’s visit brings new opportunities for China-Belarus ties

(People's Daily Online)    10:15, May 12, 2015
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Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd R) and his wife Peng Liyuan (R) are welcomed by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (2nd L) at the airport in Minsk, capital of Belarus, May 10, 2015. Xi arrived here Sunday for a three-day state visit to Belarus, the first by a Chinese head of state in 14 years. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

President Xi Jinping paid a visit to Belarus and met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko and Prime Minister Andrei Kobyakov after he concluded his visit to Russia on May 10.

This was the first visit to Belarus by a Chinese head of state in 14 years. Experts believe this visit is essential for further promoting China-Belarus ties, and that it will bring new opportunities for the construction of the “Silk Road Economic Belt.”

Belarus is located between the European Union and the Commonwealth of Independent States, and is known as the junction of the Baltic States and the Black Sea. It links up two major markets – the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. It plays an indispensable role in enhancing the “Onle Belt One Road” proposal, says Li Jianmin, researcher at the Russian, Eastern Europe and Central Asian Studies Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Feng Yujun, head of the Russia Study Institute of the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, believes that considerable progresses has been made in both China’s investment in Belarus and the bilateral trade between these two countries. Strengthening bilateral ties are of great importance for both countries.

Wang Haiyun, senior consultant at China International Institute for strategic Society observes that Belarus and China are witnessing a boom in bilateral cooperation. This visit is not just a ritual one. It has more practical worth.

In recent years with the advancement of the “One Belt One Road” project, China has tightened its economic ties with Belarus. The China-Belarus Industrial Park which was established in 2014 is China’s largest overseas industrial zone and the largest investment project between the two countries. During his trip, Xi Jinping paid a visit to this park.

China-Belarus Industrial Park was built by China. Belarus provided an area of dozens of square kilometers for its development and offered various preferential policies and taxes. High-end manufacturing industries from China such as electronics, information, and pharmacy have moved into the park.

Cui Qiming, the Chinese Ambassador to Belarus, points out that it will be beneficial for the people of both countries if we take its geographical advantage, focus on industrial park and other model projects and extend pragmatic cooperation in manufacturing, infrastructure, high-tech and credit financing.

In the future there will be more bilateral cooperation in science and trade. Belarus is willing to hitch a ride on China’s express in economic development. It is expected that a series of key cooperation agreements will be reached during Xi’s visit, according to Li Jianmin.

This article was edited and translated from 《习近平访问白俄罗斯前瞻:中白关系面临新的重大机遇》, source: People's Daily Online.

 

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