MINSK, 7 September (BelTA) – In an interview with the First News TV Channel, Natalya Eismont, Press Secretary of the Belarusian President, has provided details on Aleksandr Lukashenko’s international meetings during his five-day working visit to China, BelTA has learned.
In China, Aleksandr Lukashenko participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit and commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japanese militarism and the end of World War II. The presence of over 30 foreign leaders and heads of international organizations provided an opportunity for the Belarusian head of state to conduct numerous bilateral meetings and negotiations.
“The meeting with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping was very meaningful,” Natalya Eismont recalled.
Although in early June of this year, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping had already held a meeting in Beijing in a unique family-like format, the recent talks in Tianjin that hosted the SCO summit were substantial and long. “Belarus-China relations are so intensive that Lukashenko and Xi Jinping always have something to talk about. This was a crucial meeting,” the press secretary emphasized.
Natalya Eismont also highlighted a separate meeting held several days later with Cai Qi, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China: “It was a very profound political discussion, a highly substantive conversation that lasted nearly an hour. The meeting was followed by a reception hosted on behalf of the Chinese president, during which the dialogue continued. It covered a wide range of topics, with an emphasis on economic issues.”
A meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin also occurred in Beijing. While the media saw only a brief protocol moment, Natalya Eismont revealed that the talks were extensive. Despite an early morning commitment to attend a military parade, the leaders spoke from just after 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.
“This is perhaps the most striking example of the president’s intense schedule over these five days,” Natalya Eismont stated.
Speaking about the meeting with the Russian leader, she noted that although the presidents recently had a long conversation on Valaam for several days, “Lukashenko and Putin have something to talk about in any circumstances”.
Beyond the main events, the trip featured a packed schedule of sideline meetings. Significant attention was paid to the president’s conversation with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additional contacts were held with the leaders of Azerbaijan, the DPRK, Mongolia, Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Zimbabwe, Congo, and Slovakia.
The press secretary clarified that this list was not exhaustive: “These are only the meetings we publicized. The president held numerous other negotiations where important matters were discussed in depth.”
Natalya Eismont also highlighted the president’s aptitude for friendly communication. “Our president knows how to be a true friend. He also possesses a unique ability to inject a productive, working dynamic into any circumstance,” she noted.
The visit also included a series of meetings with representatives of the Chinese business community, which is a well-established tradition now. Some of these negotiations were held behind closed doors. “Not all of these discussions were publicized. They constituted a non-stop marathon lasting over half a day, with one delegation immediately following another. These very promising projects are vital for our economy, our country, and our people. In time, the details will become public, but it is premature to announce them now. However, the sectors involved are of key strategic importance.”
Following each meeting, the president immediately assigned relevant tasks to members of the Belarusian delegation. Work to implement the resulting agreements has already commenced.
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