Heads of state of Belarus and China praise closer cooperation
"Belarus is, has been and will be a reliable partner for China," Lukashenko said at the meeting, according to the Belarusian presidency. "We decided a long time ago that we would cooperate and be friends with China," he said. This friendship has now lasted for "more than 30 years".
According to his offices,Lukashenko traveled to Beijing on Sunday to discuss the topics of "trade, economy, investment and international cooperation" with Xi. The close ally of Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin last visited Beijing at the end of February. At that time, his talks with the Chinese head of state focused on the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
Lukashenko made clear his unreserved support for the Chinese mediation efforts at the time. These were met with skepticism in the West. As a close partner of Moscow, Beijing has still not officially condemned the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
According to CCTV, Xi said that "mutual political trust" had continued to grow since Lukashenko's previous visit to Beijing. China strongly supports Belarus in "pursuing the path of development in accordance with its national conditions". China rejects all attempts from outside "to interfere in the internal affairs of Belarus".
Belarus borders both Ukraine and Russia. The country is highly politically and financially dependent on Moscow. In February 2022, Russia used the neighboring country as a deployment zone and also attacked from there during its invasion of Ukraine.
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- During the meeting, Xi Jinping praised Belarus as a reliable partner and commended the long-term cooperation between the two countries.
- According to Lukashenko, the friendship between Belarus and China has endured for over three decades, and he reaffirmed their commitment to continued cooperation.
- Xi acknowledged that the mutual political trust between their two nations had strengthened since Lukashenko's previous visit to Beijing.
- In response to external attempts to interfere in Belarus' internal affairs, China strongly supports the country's pursuit of development according to its national conditions.
- On Sunday, Lukashenko traveled to Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping, covering topics such as trade, economy, investment, and international cooperation.
- The Chinese President reinforced his nation's support for Belarus in its dealings with Ukraine, while refraining from officially condemning Russia's offensive in the region.
- As a close ally of Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko expressed unwavering support for China's mediation efforts in the Ukraine conflict, which encountered skepticism from Western nations.
- Belarus serves as a border region between both Ukraine and Russia, making it an essential player in the geopolitical dynamics of the region.
- Despite its dependency on Russia for political and financial support, Belarus has remained a strategic partner for both China and Moscow, further illustrating the complex interplay of geopolitical relationships in the modern world.
Source: www.stern.de
