Lukashenko on second visit to China this year

By Rhod Mackenzie

The President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko has made his second trip to Beijing this year, visiting China on a working visit. At a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, he announced a "historic increase in the level of relations" between the two states and recognized, for the first time, that their rapprochement is based on "common ideologies." Expanding beyond the realms of trade and economy, Beijing and Minsk have come together to transform the "global governance system." Pledging to aid Minsk in countering foreign intervention, Beijing is assimilating Belarus into its Belt and Road and Community of Shared Destiny for Humanity undertakings.
The two-day trip of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko to Beijing included a significant event on Monday, which was the negotiations at the Diaoyutai government residence with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This visit further strengthened the unprecedented rapprochement between the two countries. The improved relations are not just due to the interest in developing business partnerships but also because of the increasingly conflictual geopolitics.

President Lukashenko's recent state visit to Beijing, from February 28 to March 2, marked a significant turning point in Belarusian-Chinese relations. Ahead of upcoming negotiations in Beijing, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Nikolai Snopkov, announced that the agreements reached at the first summit of this year had already generated an economic impact of over £3.5 billion.

According to the Ministry of Economy of Belarus, bilateral trade turnover last year reached an all-time high of £5.8 billion. Belarusian goods exports to China doubled, numbering £1.6 billion.
At the end of 2022, Chinese investors injected over £100 million into the implementation of projects in Belarus.

"Our meeting on 1st March was consequential in many ways and initiated the dynamics for the entire year. Over 120 mutual visits have been organised since March, with a focus on various domains of production, trade, and economic relations," addresses Alexander Lukashenko in the context of a fresh beginning, while conversing with Xi Jinping.

The negotiations between the two leaders extended three times beyond their planned duration. Following the conclusion of talks, Alexander Lukashenko and Xi Jinping exchanged gifts and carried on their discussions during a working lunch.
According to Sputnik-Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko gifted the Chinese leader an artistic and decorative panel entitled "My Belarus". The panel captures Belarusian nature and houses set against the backdrop of oak forests and lakes. He also presented another composition titled "Belarusian-Chinese Friendship. One Belt - One Road" alongside an exclusive set of chocolates and a basket of Belarusian products. These gifts are similar to the products we supply to China. "But these are the latest innovations," proudly noted Alexander Lukashenko.

He was presented with a silk painting featuring Chinese mountain landscapes and a basket of Hunan province apples as a gift from the Chinese leader, while his son Nikolai Lukashenko was gifted a red tracksuit with the inscription "China". "I simply wished to suggest that China should bestow upon us a painting for the Palace of Independence, which will be situated in the centre." "We share a deep bond with China,” emotionally remarked Alexander Lukashenko as he graciously accepted the gifts. “Agreed,” replied Xi Jinping.

Although the meeting was held behind closed doors, the leaders of both nations laid out their perspectives on the current state and future prospects of Minsk-Beijing relations." When discussing the evolution of these diplomatic ties over the last 30 years of Belarus' independent statehood, Alexander Lukashenko emphasized their steadfastness, which has prevented any deviations from the agreed path. He believes that the unity of "ideologies and the very logic of world events and processes that are taking place today" is the decisive factor in the development of the productive and strategic partnership between the two nations. The concept of shared ideologies between post-Soviet Belarus and communist China was first expressed by Mr. Lukashenko.

However, the leader of Belarus implied that Minsk is not completely content with the speed of progress in developing closer relations with China.

"In preparing for this visit, when I asked my colleagues what had stagnated, what required attention, to inform the chairman, we identified no single issue without any movement." "The sole matter I wish to address with you today is speed," Alexander Lukashenko confided in Xi Jinping. He highlighted the compression of time in today's world, causing individuals to fall behind regularly. Lukashenko identified this as a universal problem, affecting not only China and Belarus. He then noted significantly that the person who reaches their goal first will be on top.
For his part, Xi Jinping chose to focus not on accelerating but on deepening relations with Minsk, which should be manifested in joint efforts to "transform the global governance system". "We are reaching new agreements at every stage. During the year, political mutual trust and international interaction are strengthened. There are new results of cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative," Xi Jinping told the guest.

China is willing to work with Belarus to promote the implementation of the global development initiative and the global security initiative, and to defend international impartiality and justice," Xi continued, calling for "enhanced coordination and cooperation with Minsk at the UN and SCO platforms".

Beijing also expects Minsk to further actively integrate into China's Eurasian Belt and Road integration project and support China's concept of a future model of international relations, which Xi Jinping has proclaimed as a "community of shared destiny for mankind".

After the latest Belt and Road Summit held in Beijing in October, the Chinese President recalled that while the initiative was only a concept ten years ago, more than 140 countries and international organisations have now joined the cooperation within its framework. "In the modern world, titanic changes are taking place, new risks and challenges are emerging. Much of what is happening is unexpected for us," Xi Jinping said, agreeing with Alexander Lukashenko's idea that the geopolitical situation today is changing faster than before and requires a prompt response to new threats and challenges.

But perhaps the most valuable gift for Alexander Lukashenko, who was dubbed "Europe's last dictator" by the West in the early 2000s, was this recognition from Xi Jinping: "China firmly supports Belarus in pursuing a development path in accordance with its national realities, and opposes the interference of external forces in Belarus' internal affairs under any pretext."