Xi and Lukashenko agree to oppose hegemony, safeguard international fairness and justice

China and Belarus vowed to work together to oppose hegemony and unilateralism and jointly defend international fairness and justice, while striving to enhance bilateral relations.

President Xi Jinping and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko made the commitment during a meeting on June 4 at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing.

Xi highlighted that China and Belarus are true friends and good partners, and said the two countries have always treated each other with sincerity and trust.

Noting that China has always viewed and developed its relations with Belarus from a strategic and long-term perspective, Xi expressed China’s willingness to work together with Belarus to promote the steady and sustained growth of bilateral relations and mutually beneficial cooperation.

He underlined the need for both countries to further strengthen coordination and cooperation within multilateral frameworks, such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, jointly oppose hegemony, bullying, and coercion, and uphold international fairness and justice.

Lukashenko was in Beijing for a three-day visit, his first to China since he was reelected as Belarusian president in January, and the 15th time he has visited China since 1994, when he began his first presidential term.

During the meeting, he told Xi that each time he visits China, he deeply feels the profound friendship of the Chinese side.

He said Belarus appreciates China’s long-standing strong support and assistance, highly trusts China, and will steadfastly develop relations with the country.

Lukashenko commended China’s role in international affairs, noting that Beijing firmly upholds multilateralism and opposes unilateralism, sanctions, and coercion, setting an example for the world. Belarus is willing to work with China to jointly defend international fairness and justice, he said.

Sino-Belarusian relations have been boosted by mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative over the past years.

The China-Belarus Industrial Park in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, is a landmark Belt and Road cooperation project highly valued by the leaders of both countries and actively promoted by the two governments.

With a total area of 112.5 square kilometers, the industrial park is China’s largest overseas economic and trade cooperation zone.

It prioritizes the development of key sectors, such as electronic information, biomedicine, fine chemicals, high-end manufacturing, and logistics and warehousing.

On May 21, China and Belarus held the sixth session of their intergovernmental cooperation committee in Minsk. During the meeting, the two sides signed cooperation documents on the digital economy and scientific and technological innovation, agreeing to establish a new subcommittee on industrial cooperation.

Russia’s TASS news agency reported that Lukashenko told a meeting with representatives of the Chinese business community in Beijing on June 3 that technological modernization of the manufacturing industry is one of the major issues on the Belarus-China agenda.

Wang Xiaoquan, a researcher at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Lukashenko’s primary goal for this trip is to comprehensively strengthen bilateral relations and strategic cooperation in the new circumstances.

Contact the writer at caodesheng@chinadaily.com.cn