Photos courtesy of the organizers
MINSK, 14 September (BelTA) – Parliamentary diplomacy makes a contribution to building a fair world order. The importance of the fact was noted by Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Sergei Aleinik as he delivered a speech at the 2025 Legislators Forum for Friendly Exchanges in the city of Urumqi, China, BelTA has learned.
Taking part in the event are representatives of legislative bodies from about 50 countries, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China Shohrat Zakir, and heads of about ten provinces of the People’s Republic of China.
Belarus’ representative congratulated his Chinese colleagues on their successful chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and on holding a summit, which has become a center of global attraction and has confirmed China’s important role in the modern world order.
Sergei Aleinik’s speech focused on the topic of joint effective implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative.
He emphasized: "The Belt and Road Initiative launched by China President Xi Jinping in 2013 has rightfully become one of the most ambitious and significant projects of the 21st century. This initiative changes the global architecture of cooperation, creating new opportunities for trade, investment, and humanitarian ties. It is hard to overestimate its significance for the global economy: it connects tens of Eurasian countries, links different continents, and is becoming a foundation for building a fair and mutually beneficial international order. By the way, Belarus was one of the first countries to join this initiative.”
The International Affairs and National Security Commission chairman said that the joint implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative opens up unique opportunities for strengthening partnerships and for building a new format of international interaction.
“A long time ago it became not just a Chinese project, but a global platform that unites countries in their pursuit of mutually beneficial development,” he continued. “We understand well that success is only possible when our national strategies are aligned with the long-term goals of the initiative. It is this coordination that allows us to take into account the interests of every party and build a system of cooperation based on the principles of equality and trust.”
Sergei Aleinik also pointed out that in conditions of ceaseless unilateral illegal restrictions and protectionism in international trade on the part of Western countries matters of development of infrastructure interconnectivity, joint construction of transport corridors, energy networks, and logistics hubs as well as the development of transport and freight routes, strengthen the transit potential of our countries, reduce barriers to trade, and make interaction more efficient.
“Trade, economic, and investment cooperation is another important area,” said Sergei Aleinik. “The key issue remains the creation of an efficient mechanism that will ensure the inflow of investments and the implementation of industrial projects. The matter of financial support is equally important. Joint use of capabilities of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Silk Road Fund, the SCO Development Bank that is currently being established, and national financing mechanisms allows us to implement projects that would be impossible to carry out single-handedly.”
Sergei Aleinik mentioned the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone as a successful project of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is a pearl of the Silk Road, an example of mutually beneficial cooperation between Minsk and Beijing. It has 154 registered residents from 15 countries with the total declared investment of $1.58 billion.
He also noted that the current agenda requires special attention to innovative development: “Within the framework of the initiative we can jointly develop the digital economy, green energy, create smart cities, and introduce new technologies. This makes cooperation particularly relevant and takes it to a whole new level. But the Belt and Road Initiative is not only about the economy. It involves expanding cultural and humanitarian exchanges, interregional interaction, and strengthening contacts between people.“
Sergei Aleinik touched upon interregional contacts: “The Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus is a territorial representation chamber and actively promotes the development of interregional ties. For example, today every oblast of Belarus and the capital city of Minsk have three or more sister regions in China. Such interaction has very large potential in the context of joint economic and humanitarian projects, but what is more valuable is that it allows Belarus and China to become even closer to each other.”
“At the same time, we recognize the existing challenges,” he continued. “These include financial risks, ecological problems, and geopolitical factors. But we are convinced that it is joint efforts based on respect and openness that will help us overcome them. Parliamentary diplomacy plays an important role in this process, contributing to the establishment of a just world order and a multipolar world, and strengthening intergovernmental and interparliamentary dialogue. The exchange of experience in the field of lawmaking and dialogue on topics on the regional agenda and the global one are also essential.”
“As we can see, the Belt and Road Initiative is not a project of a single state, but a common cause that unites our countries for the sake of the future. It is an opportunity to build a more just and sustainable world where cooperation and development become key principles of international relations. Only through joint efforts can we unlock the full potential of this initiative and pass on to future generations a world of stability, prosperity, and mutual understanding,” the chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic concluded.
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