MINSK, 21 April (BelTA) - A Chinese delegation headed by Chen Zhou, Deputy Head of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, visited the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone as part of its visit to Belarus on 20 April, BelTA has learned.
The Chinese representative was told about the stages and prospects of the project's development, as well as the support provided to it at the state level. The industrial park is the main project of bilateral cooperation implemented on the initiative of Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In China, it is called the pearl of the Silk Road Economic Belt.
“We have 132 residents registered in the park at the moment. On the one hand, this is an international pool of residents from 14 countries. On the other hand, the basis of this project is made up of projects from China. These are 59 projects. Belarus represents 49 projects. Our investors, our business is doing its best to actively integrate into technological interaction with our Chinese partners,” Aleksandr Yaroshenko, head of the Great Stone Industrial Park Administration, said.
According to him, 75 buildings have already been constructed on the territory of the park, and several dozen more are under construction and design. Necessary infrastructure is being developed, including sewage treatment facilities, to make the park environmentally friendly as well.
“Investors from China have believed in this project. We attract high-tech innovative projects. We have projects in electronics, biotechnology, fine chemistry. This gives a high-tech boost to the development of not only the Great Stone project, but also to the economy of Belarus,” Aleksandr Yaroshenko said.
According to him, the visit of the distinguished guest from China to the park is a great honor and a certain report on what has been done for more than a decade: “The Belt and Road initiative is a milestone project for Belarus. Our country is integrated into this economic and political process. We are planning to join the SCO. The established relations of all-weather strategic partnership (as we often call ourselves ‘iron brothers’) are worth a lot for us. The visit of such a delegation is a landmark event for us and for the development of the park.”
When asked about the impact of sanctions on the project, Aleksandr Yaroshenko stated that the sanctions policy of unfriendly countries does have a certain impact on both the economy in general and on the investment development of the Great Stone Park. “This is an objective reality. On the other hand, we believe that another window of opportunity always opens. In this respect, our Chinese partners have reoriented themselves in the right way, and we have an opportunity to fill [the niches vacated after the withdrawal of Western companies] with their help, including in the Eurasian space, and first of all, in the Russian Federation,” he said.
The head of the industrial park administration confirmed that China did not lose interest in the project: “Let's be objective - they have become more cautious. But, of course, there is interest in coming to the markets of the Russian Federation through the Great Stone Park. This, first of all, pertains to those technological aspects with highly promising niches. These include machine-tool construction, automobile construction, and electric transportation. This is exactly what Russia is waiting for and what Belarus, with its Chinese partners, is ready to offer.”
