MINSK, 20 January (BelTA) – The official first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for an envelope and a stamp to mark the Year of the Rat was held in the National Confucius Institute of Sinology at Belarusian State University (BSU) timed to the 28th anniversary of the Belarusian-Chinese diplomatic relations, BelTA has learned.
“Today we celebrate the 28th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Republic of Belarus and the People's Republic of China. All these years the relations between our countries have developed in a dynamic and consistent manner. We have come a long way, from the first contacts and basically getting to know each other to comprehensive strategic partnership and mutually beneficial cooperation. We are proud that our political, economic, and humanitarian cooperation develops in the context of friendship and deep mutual respect and trust between the leaders of the two countries, Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko and China President Xi Jinping, and our nations,” Director of the BSU Confucius Institute of Sinology, Head of the association Belarus-China Anatoly Tozik noted.
He said that two events were timed to the anniversary: the first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for an envelope and a stamp to mark the Year of the Rat and the presentation of the book “Belarusian-Chinese relations in interstate, intergovernmental, and interdepartmental documents (1992-2019)”.
“The stamp and the envelope are dedicated to the Year of the Rat, the first year in the 12-year cycle that begins on 25 January. The souvenir sheet was designed by the Belarusian Communications and Informatization Ministry with participation of our institute,” Anatoly Tozik noted. “The book was published by the institute with support of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It comprises all legal framework of the bilateral relations. I believe that the book will be very useful for government authorities, all participants of the Belarus-China cooperation, and researchers who study China,” he added.
China's Ambassador to Belarus Cui Qiming also took part in the ceremony and congratulated its participants ahead of the Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year. He pointed out that China and Belarus are very close friends and sincere partners. The cooperation between the two countries actively develops in all fields.
Belarus maintains long-standing and fruitful cooperation with Chinese companies in high technology, Belarus Communications and Informatization Minister Konstantin Shulgan noted. Creative projects help enhance the Belarusian-Chinese relations even more.
Taking part in the event were also Belarus Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Dapkiunas, Belarus First Deputy Education Minister Irina Starovoitova, Chairwoman of the Belarusian Society of Friendship and Cultural Ties with Foreign Countries Nina Ivanova, BSU Vice Rector Dmitry Medvedev, and students and staff of the BSU Confucius Institute of Sinology.
A Belarusian-Chinese concert took place after the first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the stamp sheet. Following the event the distinguished guests got familiar with activities of the institute and discussed the cooperation development prospects.
Belarus and China established diplomatic relations on 20 January 1992.
