MINSK, 1 August (BelTA) – Preparations are underway to arrange a meeting between Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and China President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand in September, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the People's Republic of China Yuri Senko told journalists, BelTA has learned.
“Preparations, of course, are being underway both in Belarus and China. We are waiting for a decision whether or not the Chinese leader will attend the Samarkand summit in person. In case the visit is officially confirmed, we hope that our leaders will meet in Samarkand in September [the SCO summit is scheduled for 15-16 September].
A reminder, in April 2022 Ambassador Yuri Senko told the media about the plans to arrange a bilateral meeting between Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping. “There is such an agreement [on a face-to-face meeting] between the leaders of our countries. Xi Jinping has repeatedly invited our head of state to visit China. Belarus' president also invited his Chinese counterpart to visit Belarus. Yet, unfortunately, a face-to-face meeting has not taken place yet due to the coronavirus restrictions. However, our leaders are to meet within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in September,” Yuri Senko said.
According to him, the heads of state will discuss bilateral relations. “The conversation will be far-reaching, substantive. We are getting ready to arrange this meeting and believe that it will take place in September this year,” the ambassador stressed.
