MINSK, 8 June (BelTA) – Beijing Urban Construction Group has been chosen as the general contractor for building a national football stadium in Belarus. Beijing Construction Engineering Group will be the general contractor for building a swimming pool that will meet international standards, representatives of the Belarusian embassy in China told BelTA.
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to China Nikolai Snopkov met with Director of the International Economic Cooperation Office under the Chinese Commerce Ministry Li Xiaobing in the embassy on 8 June. The sides discussed preparations for building two facilities in Belarus – a national football stadium and an international-standard swimming pool – using technical and economic aid from China. The sides agreed that all the preparations had been done and the actual construction work had begun.
The Chinese side watched a video that illustrated the preparation of the construction sites in Belarus. A presentation of the companies the Chinese side has chosen as the general contractors took place. Beijing Urban Construction Group will be the general contractor for building the stadium while Beijing Construction Engineering Group will be the general contractor for building the swimming pool.
Both companies have extensive experience of building facilities of national importance in China and abroad. Their portfolio includes the national stadium Bird's Nest in Beijing, the Wukesong National Sports Center, the Olympic Village, the Palace of Culture and Nationalities, the architectural ensemble of Tiananmen Square, the Beijing Capital International Airport, the new Beijing Daxing International Airport, the central television building, the Beijing Hotel, the first metro line in Beijing, infrastructure and sport facilities in Pakistan, the UK, and the Maldives.
The Belarusian ambassador thanked the Chinese side for vigorous preparations for implementing the projects despite the coronavirus pandemic. He stressed that China's technical and economic aid symbolizes the friendship between the nations of Belarus and China that had passed the test of time and hardships. As many as 11 projects worth the equivalent of about $206 million were completed in 2016-2019. Seven major projects are being implemented or in the preparatory phase.
It was noted that during a bilateral meeting of China President Xi Jinping and Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko in Beijing on 25 April 2019 within the framework of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation Xi Jinping showed miniatures of the stadium and the pool to Aleksandr Lukashenko. The Belarusian head of state personally participated in choosing the concept of spatial design solutions and the layout of both sports facilities.
Li Xiaobing underlined the commitment and high priority of the projects being implemented in Belarus, which was one of the first countries to back China's Belt and Road initiative and which is a strategic partner of China. Li Xiaobing also mentioned the close attention the two heads of state pay to joint projects. Despite the pandemic a great deal of preparations has been done and the sides are about to begin construction. Building exemplary facilities for Belarus in addition to justifying the trust of the leadership of the two countries is the idea.
Chairman of the Board of Beijing Construction Engineering Group Fan Jun underlined the importance of the personal attention the leaders of Belarus and China pay to these projects, which places a special responsibility on executives. According to Fan Jun, the swimming pool will be built properly and on time using modern technologies and solutions.
Chairman of the Board of Beijing Urban Construction Group Chen Daihua noted that in the course of building the national football stadium the company will follow the principles of joint discussion, joint construction, the best international standards in order to build a new place of interest for Belarusian friends.
Summing up results of the meeting, the ambassador stressed the importance of the Chinese side's choice of the personnel to coordinate and manage projects in Belarus. He noted that mutual respect and professional commitment should guide the choice.
In turn, as First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov will continue personally overseeing the construction of the stadium and the swimming pool, the embassy pointed out.
