Lukashenko, Xi to discuss enhancement of Belarusian-Chinese relations

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who is staying in China on an official visit, plans to meet here with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the People’s Assembly house, where the two sides are expected to sign a joint declaration. On Wednesday, the Belarusian leader plans to meeting with Premier of the State Council of China Li Keqiang and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). While commenting to Itar-Tass Lukashenko’s official visit to China that started on Monday, representative of the Xinhua news agency’s centre of foreign affair studies Wan Chengcai expressed opinion that China and Belarus should strengthen economic partnership and develop bilateral strategic relations. “China and Belarus support stable strategic relations. But the key task of the two countries is in the stepping up of their economic interaction,” the expert said. Wan also pointed to the importance of “the trilateral cooperation of China, Russia and Belarus.” “Herewith, statements of some media that Minsk tries to use relations with China in the foreign policy game with Russia are conflicting with the spirit of cooperation between the three countries,” the expert emphasised. “Only joint interaction is able to give a fresh impetus to the development of economic cooperation between Beijing, Moscow and Minsk,” Wan Chengcai noted. Belarus and China established diplomatic relations back on January 20, 1992. President Alexander Lukashenko visited China with official and working visit many times, while Minsk welcomed China’s top leadership. In December 2005, Belarusian-Chinese relations entered the level of strategic cooperation. China is one of the most important foreign trade partners for Belarus. In 2009, China ranked fifth trade partner of Belarus. Among the major export items of Belarus to China are potassium fertilisers, dump truck and truck parts, integrated electronics and chemical goods. Belarus mainly imports from China equipment, components, materials for export facilities, consumer goods.