During a three-day state visit to Beijing, Belarusian President Lukashenko promised to support China on a few crucial points like human rights, Taiwan, and Hong Kong in exchange for economic aid.
During the visit from Feb. 28 to March 2, Xi said that the two sides announced to upgrade China-Belarus relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership.
The visit comes amid concerns in the West that China could provide Russia with weapons and ammunition for its military operation in Ukraine.
Nevertheless, Lukashenko stated that the come-together was merely one out of mutual friendship, not one with an ulterior agenda.
“There are no off-limits topics for our cooperation. We cooperate in all directions,” Lukashenko said. “And the main thing is that we, the People’s Republic of China and Belarus, have never set out the goal to be friends or work against third countries, against anyone.”
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
According to Xinhua News, China and Belarus also signed a number of documents on bilateral cooperation in the areas of industry, agriculture, science and technology, health, tourism, and sports on Wednesday.
The China-Belarus Industrial Park will focus on the joint construction of the Belt and Road through the China-Belarus Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, which both countries have established.
Promise to hush up about human rights.
Both leaders also vowed to cooperate on a global strategic scale and support each other’s choice of development path.
Or, as Xi put it, China and Belarus should support each other in “safeguarding their own core interests, oppose interference by external forces in internal affairs, and safeguard the sovereignty and political security of the two countries.”
This, in effect, means that Belarus agreed to hush up about China’s dubious role in the way they treated the Covid-19 “pandemic” and its gross neglection of the Human rights of their own population, and even more so those of Uyghurs, Falun Gong practitioners, Christians, Tibetans and the people of Hong Kong.
“We condemn the actions aimed at heightening tensions around Taiwan,” Lukashenko stated.
“Belarus has always stood by the One China principle, promoted a peaceful solution, and strongly opposed any foreign interference in the internal affairs of the People’s Republic of China,” he added.
“Minsk has supported and will continue to support Beijing in all sensitive issues, including those of Xinjiang, the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan,” the Belarus president said.
China, in turn, praised Belarus for its support for the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative and promised to bolster coordination and cooperation with Belarus at the United Nations and other multilateral platforms.
Mutual stance on Ukraine
The two leaders also gave their views on the Ukraine crisis on which China recently presented a peace plan to Russia and Ukraine for their review.
Remarking that the crux of China’s stance in this conflict is to promote peace negotiations, Xi said it is paramount to follow the path toward political agreement, letting go of all Cold War mentality, observing legitimate security concerns of all countries involved, and build a balanced, effective, and sustainable European security architecture.
READ MORE:
- Ukraine Reinforces Border as Russia, Belarus Start Massive 10-day Drill.
- Washington Wants to Supply Ukraine With Helicopters; Russia Moves S-400 Missile System Into Belarus
- Many Western Brands Still Available in Russia Despite Sanctions
- US Imposes Sanctions on China and Russia, Citing Abuses and Corruption
“Given the instability and turbulence of the international situation, China is actively inclined to continue to apply joint efforts with Belarus to strengthen mutual political trust and practical cooperation in the interests of dynamic, healthy, and sustainable development of bilateral relations,” Xi said.
Lukashenko said the Belarusian side fully supports China’s position on and proposition for the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis.
Lukashenko is also a staunch ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He allowed Russian troops to pass on its territory and invade the Ukrainian mainland in their initial push for Kiev’s capital in February 2022.
However, the Belarusian president has repeatedly reiterated that he will not allow his country to be drawn into the conflict unless in a direct threat from abroad scenario.
Reuters contributed to this article.
