Фото: пресс-служба правительства
The first Belarusian-Chinese Regional Forum opened on July 1 in Lanzhou, China. Speaking at the opening ceremony, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Mikalai Snapkou outlined the priority areas of the strategic partnership between Minsk and Beijing.
Snapkou compared cooperation between Belarus and China to the revival of the Great Silk Road.
“We know well and remember that Gansu Province is the cradle of the Silk Road, home to the legendary Hexi Corridor through which caravans travelled for thousands of years. Today, however, our caravans are Belarus-China freight trains, technologies and information flows. We are physically and intellectually reviving the Great Silk Road, but at a new technological stage,” Snapkou said.
The first deputy prime minister stressed the importance of regional cooperation and said Belarus sees its role not only as a transit country but also as a platform for creating value chains.
“Belarus is a fully fledged industrial and resource platform for deep processing and the production of high-tech goods. We view cooperation with China’s regions not simply as fraternal ties but as a strategic alliance within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Since the Soviet era, Belarus has remained the industrial heart of central Europe, at the crossroads of the Eurasian Economic Union and the European Union. Our task is not merely to provide transit but to create shared value chains linking Chinese industrial clusters with European and Eurasian markets,” Snapkou said.
A second priority for Minsk is the integration of expertise.
“China has an outstanding scientific, technological and raw materials base, while Belarus offers advanced mechanical engineering, agricultural technologies, an IT sector and extensive experience in industrial cooperation. We do not need to compete; we need to connect our respective strengths,” the first deputy prime minister said.
He listed Belarus’ advantages for China, including access to the Eurasian Economic Union market, legal protections and most-favoured-nation treatment, the Great Stone Industrial Park and a highly skilled workforce.
“Belarus is the gateway to the Eurasian Economic Union, a market of more than 180 million people. Goods produced here enjoy duty-free access to the markets of Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. A 2,000-kilometre radius from Minsk covers more than a quarter of global GDP,” Snapkou said.
According to Snapkou, the most-favoured-nation regime is guaranteed by the trade in services and investment agreement between Belarus and China.
“This is China’s first agreement of this kind with a member state of the Eurasian Economic Union. It provides Chinese investors with direct guarantees for capital protection, most-favoured-nation treatment and access to virtually all sectors of the economy,” the official said.
Snapkou also described stability as another of Belarus’ advantages.
“Above all, investment should be directed towards stability. Stability is the strategically sound choice, and the Belarusian government will continue to improve the business environment for our Chinese partners,” the first deputy prime minister said.
The third area of partnership is cultural and humanitarian cooperation. Belarus’ priority, according to Snapkou, is to foster a generation for whom Belarusian-Chinese friendship is a personal conviction.
“Our strategy is not merely to build trade flows but to create shared values. Belarus and China have a unique compatibility of values: respect for traditions, the institution of the family, commitment to productive work and a priority on stability. Today, we are moving from isolated cultural exchanges to systematic cooperation. This includes joint educational programmes, joint tourism projects and joint healthcare and wellness initiatives.
Particular emphasis is placed on direct people-to-people contacts because Belarus is a safe and welcoming country with a rich history and an excellent environmental record. Ultimately, our priority is to raise a generation of professionals and citizens for whom Belarusian-Chinese friendship is not an abstract concept but a personal way of life,” Snapkou said.