MINSK, 22 March (BelTA) – Political trust is the basis for all-round China-Belarus partnership, Arken Imirbaki, Vice Chairman of the 12th National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, noted as met with Belarusian senators who are in China on a working visit, BelTA learned from the press service of the Council of the Republic.
The meeting was attended by China's Vice Minister of Commerce Fu Ziying and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to China Kirill Rudy.
China and Belarus are close friends and partners, Arken Imirbaki said. The warm and trust-based relations between the presidents of Belarus and China play an important role in bilateral cooperation. “It is important to augment the results of cooperation, maintain contacts and coordination in multilateral organizations,” he underlined. The Chinese MP also stressed the need to step up bilateral cooperation and exchange experience in lawmaking for Belarus-China partnership and cooperation between legislative bodies to be more meaningful and effective.
China is paying special attention to advancing the Belt and Road initiative. China is ready to make every effort to ensure effective cooperation with Belarus, launch joint projects under this initiative, and develop the Belarus-China industrial park Great Stone, Arken Imirbaki emphasized. He also invited Mikhail Myasnikovich, Speaker of the Council of the Republic, to make an official visit to China in 2018.
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In turn, Fu Ziying pointed out that Belarus-China trade went up by 30% in January 2018. “This is a very good beginning of the year,” he said. Great Stone is becoming an exemplary project of the Belt and Road initiative. Belarus and China successfully set in motion joint projects in mechanical engineering, energy, social housing construction, mineral extraction, and other fields. “Belarus has a stable and fair legal environment. The two countries have a solid legal framework for boosting cooperation,” the deputy minister stated.
Regional cooperation is becoming more and more important, he added. “We hope that the Belarusian and Chinese regions and enterprises will be more active. We will support such cooperation,” the official underlined.
Andrei Rybak, chairman of the standing commission on industry, fuel and energy, transport and communications of the House of Representatives, thanked the Chinese colleagues for the warm welcome on behalf of the Belarusian parliamentary delegation. He pointed to a positive momentum in Belarus-China bilateral cooperation and showed interest in further expansion of mutually beneficial all-round partnership with China. In May 2018, Belarus will host Minsk Dialogue, an international forum which will bring together famous international experts. The participants of the upcoming conference are expected to come up with updated principles of interaction between states and new avenues of cooperation. Belarus has invited China to take part in the forum.
