Foreign Ministry: despite the difficult world situation, cooperation between Belarus and China shows positive results

January 20, MINSK. Despite the difficult world situation, cooperation between Belarus and CHINA is demonstrating positive results. This was reported to a BelTA correspondent by the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.

January 20 marks the 31st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Belarus and China. “We can say with confidence that during this period, relations between our countries have worthily stood the test of time and are an example of successful interaction between states,” the Foreign Ministry emphasized . President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping decided to raise the level of bilateral relations between Belarus and Chinato an all-weather and comprehensive strategic partnership. The adoption of the corresponding joint declaration testifies to the high assessment of our common achievements and reflects plans for the future, emphasizes the commitment to the consistent implementation of the agreements reached by the leaders of our countries, and gives a new impetus to the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation in various fields."

Bilateral trade over the past 30 years has increased 51 times. China maintains its position as the second trading partner of Belarus after the Russian Federation.

it is noteworthy that even in the past three years, against the backdrop of a pandemic, strict quarantine restrictions and foreign economic challenges, there has been a steady increase in Belarusian exports to China by 25-30% annually.

The 2022 statistics also show the growth of mutual foreign trade. In January-November, foreign trade turnover with China continued to grow - the growth rate was 108.1% compared to the same period in 2021. The growth rate of exports of goods and services - 147.7%, imports - 96.9%.

Trade turnover increased by 113.9%. In 2022, Belarus supplied almost twice as much products to China compared to 2021, while the emphasis was on high value-added products, the range of which is constantly expanding. Thanks to common efforts, deliveries of soybean oil, tanned leather, chipboard, peat, coke and bitumen, copper and copper alloys, carbon, tall oil began last year. This is the result of well-coordinated work of enterprises, sectoral ministries and departments, and local authorities.

More than 170 Belarusian producers of dairy, MEAT, fish, confectionery, ALCOHOL and other food products are accredited for deliveries to the PRC. Work is underway to obtain accreditation for new suppliers of meat products, rapeseed oil and vegetable products (cereal flakes, FLOUR). There is every reason to make significant progress in the supply of Belarusian baby MILK food, canned food, meat products.

The main exports of services are transport, construction, other business, computer, telecommunications, information and educational services. The Foreign Ministry noted that the planned signing of an agreement between Belarus and China on trade in services and investment this year will further increase Belarus' exports mainly through such sectors as business services, air transport services, and communication services.

Import of goods from China to Belarus has increased by 1.7 times over 10 years. In recent years, there has been a relatively stable share of investment imports at a level of about 18% in total imports from China.

Given the sanctions pressure and the reorientation of imports from the markets of unfriendly countries, great importance is currently being attached to the search, together with industry chambers of commerce and associations of China, for Chinese importers of technical equipment, raw materials, materials and components for domestic enterprises. About 40 large Belarusian enterprises have already established active cooperation on this issue on more than 190 commodity items.

Taking into account the development trend of digital technologies in 2022, a new mechanism for increasing trade with China, e-commerce, was used. In July, the first National Electronic Pavilion of Belarusian Goods was opened on the JD.com and Douyin platforms. The operator of the pavilion is SZAO Industrial Park Development Company. At the end of last year, right before the New Year holidays, it was agreed to open electronic national pavilions of Belarusian goods at seven new electronic platforms in China.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the largest infrastructure project in history to build large-scale "economic corridors" - the "One Belt, One Road" initiative, first launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Astana in 2013. Belarus has become one of the key participants in the One Belt, One Road initiative. Thus, the project of the Great Stone Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park with an area of ​​91.5 sq. km is being successfully implemented, where at the beginning of 2023 100 residents from 15 countries were registered, about half of them are companies with Chinese capital.

The investment projects implemented in the park cover many leading areas of activity, such as R&D, mechanical engineering, electronics and telecommunications, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, the production of medical devices, the production of new materials, the storage and processing of large amounts of data, and complex e-commerce.

For Belarus, cooperation within the framework of the One Belt, One Road initiative allows not only maintaining existing, but also obtaining additional transport and logistics routes for the supply of goods to China and the countries of Southeast Asia.

"The Belarusian section of the Belt and Road overland route is an extremely important element of the China-Europe railway transport route. The main flow of overland Chinese exports passes through Belarus, trains are serviced and formed here, which then go to the EU countries. Currently, container trains connect 60 cities of China with 170 cities in 23 European countries. On average, the Belarusian Railway provides transit traffic and terminal handling of about 25 container trains on the China-Europe-China route per day. Taking into account the great potential of the Chinese market, we can predict a further increase in traffic volumes, "said attention in the Foreign Ministry.

Within the framework of investment cooperation, companies from China are successfully implementing joint projects in Belarus in the areas of healthcare, engineering, pharmaceuticals, electronics and biotechnology. More than 160 companies with Chinese capital in the authorized capital are registered in the country, and their number is growing every year. "We offer Chinese businesses more than 140 investment projects for consideration, which our country is ready to implement with the involvement of Chinese investments. These are projects in various fields - industry, agriculture, healthcare and tourism. For each of the projects, we are ready to cooperate for their successful implementation in the interests of our countries," the Foreign Ministry stressed.

In addition, there is a practice of announcing thematic annual cycles between countries. In particular, 2021 and 2022 were declared the Years of the Regions of Belarus and China, during which more than 200 events were held in various areas.

It has become a good tradition for Belarus and China to develop trade, economic, investment and humanitarian cooperation at the regional level. Each of the six regions of Belarus has sister provinces in China. Belarusian regions have been building friendly and mutually beneficial ties with Chinese sister regions for many years.

The significance of interregional cooperation is due primarily to the fact that it is at the local level that trade and economic ties are stimulated, which, in turn, allow deepening and expanding interaction, including in the field of culture and tourism.

Before the pandemic in 2017-2019, Belarus was among the top popular tourist destinations in Eastern Europe for Chinese tourists. 2018 was declared the Year of Tourism of Belarus in China and became fruitful, taking into account the concluded and implemented agreements and contracts between the tourism circles of the two countries. Against the backdrop of China opening its borders this year, we can not only restore the level of cooperation in this area, but also develop new areas, in particular, cultural, educational, gastronomic, business, event, industrial, environmental, HEALTH and medical tourism to Belarus.

One of the important areas of bilateral cooperation is also the exchange Days of Culture. In 2022, due to strict anti-epidemic restrictions, the Days of Belarusian Culture in China were held online for the first time. The event became possible thanks to the active support of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and the leading Chinese media, which for three months broadcast concert programs of the best creative teams of Belarus on their Internet platforms and gave millions of Chinese people the opportunity to get to know traditional and modern Belarusian culture.

"It should be emphasized that long-term and effective cooperation based on mutual trust is impossible without understanding the mentality and knowledge of the culture, traditions and customs of the partner country. That is why we have always paid special attention to public diplomacy and the popularization of traditional Belarusian culture and the Belarusian language in China" - said the Foreign Ministry.

In the People's Republic of China on the basis of higher educational institutions in 2012-2019. 11 centers for the study of Belarus and one institute for the study of Belarus, specializing in economic research, have been established and are functioning. The centers host conferences, round tables, lectures on the Belarusian language, culture, and Belarusian-Chinese relations.

The Belarusian language is taught at the Beijing, Tianjin and Xi'an Universities of Foreign Languages, as well as at the Second Beijing Institute of Foreign Languages.

With the support of the Embassy of Belarus in China, in 2020, the Beijing University of Foreign Studies established the All-Chinese Competition of the Belarusian language "Gavorim Pa-Belarusian", which takes place every two years, and the Tianjin University of Foreign Languages ​​holds the All-China Competition in Belarusian Studies "From Blue-eyed to China".

It is gratifying that Chinese youth are showing a sincere interest in the language and culture of our country, diligently and lovingly immersing themselves in Belarusian traditions, and thereby contributing to the rapprochement of our peoples and the deepening of Belarusian-Chinese cultural exchanges.

"Relations between Belarus and China are based on mutual respect and support, all-weather friendship, a common desire for peace and creation. 2023 promises us many significant and interesting events and meetings in person, including at the level of leaders of our countries, which will fill new practical content of the Belarusian-Chinese strategic partnership," the Foreign Ministry concluded.