Belarus offers China the most favourable conditions for doing business in Europe
Zhang Gaoli, First Vice Prime Minister of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, and a member of the Politburo Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, recently met Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Mr. Gaoli remarked that a number of economic projects have been accomplished in Belarus with assistance from Chinese companies: in particular, modernisation of the power grid and the cement industry, as well as the electrification of railways. Work in the power engineering industry, the road construction industry, the timber industry, and the pulp and paper industry continues.Several Belarusian-Chinese investment projects are being implemented: the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park is among the largest, alongside car production with the assistance of Chinese company Geely.
“For the sake of the successful implementation of these projects, Belarus has enabled the most favourable conditions for doing business in Europe,” stressed Mr. Lukashenko. “This is why we count on vigorous investment efforts from China. The construction of the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park has been approved by China’s President, Xi Jinping, and by the Premier of the State Council of China, Li Keqiang.”
The Head of State underlined that Belarus is proud of its superb relations with China. “Belarus feels the shoulder and assistance of China,” noted Mr. Lukashenko, promising that Belarus’ position regarding China will remain unchanged. He notes that Belarus-China ties are growing ever stronger, as proven by the contracts signed. He called the visit by the Chinese delegation to Minsk ‘timely’ and emphasised that unique opportunities for further co-operation are at hand.
The Head of State also noted that, despite certain concerns that intensification of bilateral interaction would interfere with other interests, such anxieties have proven rootless. “Our two countries, Belarus and China, now need to move closer more quickly,” the President is convinced. “We’re interested in having a very strong footing in China — which is such a huge state; it is involved in addressing every issue in the world today.”
The meeting focused on ways to ramp up Belarus-China trade-economic co-operation. Mr. Lukashenko thanked China for its investments and serious support of Belarus in sponsoring joint projects — such as the Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park.
The President supports China’s proposal to give the Park the status of an interstate project, attracting the largest and most famous companies from Belarus and China, Europe and other continents. “Our major goal is to co-operate in setting up high-tech production, which will be in demand across the European space,” noted Mr. Lukashenko. He also expressed confidence that serious steps have been taken this year to set up the Park.
“I’m convinced that, in time for the coming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Republic of Belarus, our Belarusian-Chinese relations will brim with concrete content. We have a comprehensive strategic partnership,” emphasised the Head of State.
