MINSK, 30 August (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has left the country to go on an official visit to China. The itinerary is expected to be very packed and will include a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and an army parade. As we wait for details, we invite you to recall the visit of China President Xi Jinping to Belarus ten years ago. The full video chronicle of the Chinese leader’s visit to Belarus can be found in BelTA’s YouTube-project “How it was: DOC”.
Aleksandr Lukashenko personally greeted Xi Jinping at the Minsk National Airport. The setting was genuinely festive and featured a red runner carpet and an honor guard company. The meeting at the Palace of Independence where expanded-format negotiations and narrow-format ones took place was as solemn.
“You have come to us in a delicate period of political development of the region and of our country. You are visiting our country on the eve of a presidential election. We highly appreciate it. And I would like to assure you that our presidential election will proceed in a manner that will never make you feel shame for cooperation with Belarus,” Aleksandr Lukashenko told Xi Jinping.
The visit included an informal part as well. The Museum of History of the Great Patriotic War was one of the stops on Xi Jinping’s itinerary. It was symbolic to an extent because the visit took place in the year of the 70th anniversary of the Great Victory. By the way, Aleksandr Lukashenko’s current visit to China is taking place in the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory. The Chinese president was made familiar with exhibits on display at the museum and left a note in the distinguished visitors’ book. Later on Xi Jinping admitted he had been deeply impressed by what he had seen here.
A truly touching moment happened in the museum’s Victory Hall. In this hall Xi Jinping presented a Medal of Peace to 15 Belarusian veterans, who fought against the Japanese aggressors at the end of World War Two. “You have made a huge contribution to the fight against fascism. You are steadfast defenders of peace on Earth,” the Chinese leader said.
The meeting of Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping “at home” turned out to be very warm. The Belarusian leader welcomed the Chinese counterpart to his home and introduced Xi Jinping to Aleksandr Lukashenko’s youngest son Nikolai.
Certainly, Aleksandr Lukashenko and Xi Jinping could not help but visit the first construction site of the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. Back then only the first few stones were laid down at the site. But ten years later the industrial park has become a genuine pearl of the Great Silk Road. Although the initial suggested concept was slightly different. Aleksandr Lukashenko mentioned it in a recent interview with the China Media Group.
“At present Chinese-Belarusian relations are at an important stage of their development. I hope my current visit would give a new impulse to further advancement of the bilateral relations at a higher level. Judging by results of fruitful negotiations with President Aleksandr Lukashenko, I can conclude that the expected results of the visit have been fully achieved,” the Chinese leader said.
And this is far from all the remarkable things about Xi Jinping’s visit to Belarus. Watch the full chronicle on BelTA’s YouTube channel as part of the “How it was: DOC” project.
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