DUSHANBE, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Monday that China stands ready to strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Belarus and fully unleash the positive effects of their Agreement on Trade in Services and Investment.
Li made the remarks during his meeting with Belarusian Prime Minister Alexander Turchin on the sidelines of the 25th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Tajikistan.
Noting that China and Belarus are true friends who trust and support each other, Li said that under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Alexander Lukashenko, the China-Belarus all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership has continued to develop steadily, yielding fruitful results in bilateral cooperation.
Next year will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Belarus, Li said, noting that China is willing to work with Belarus to carry forward their traditional friendship, consolidate strategic mutual trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly promote development and prosperity, and continuously enhance the well-being of the two peoples.
China stands ready to further leverage the role of the inter-governmental cooperation mechanism, jointly hold the "Years of China-Belarus Industrial Cooperation," and deepen cooperation in areas such as the automotive industry, digital economy, artificial intelligence and green economy, Li added.
China is willing to import more quality products from Belarus and supports Chinese enterprises investing and doing business in the country, Li said, expressing hope that Belarus will provide Chinese firms with an open, transparent and predictable business environment.
Both sides should expand exchanges and cooperation in areas including culture, tourism, youth, media and local affairs to make China-Belarus friendship more deeply rooted in the hearts of the two peoples, Li said.
In recent years, certain acts of hegemonism and power politics have grown increasingly rampant, Li said, adding that China stands ready to enhance communication and coordination with Belarus in regional and international affairs, closely collaborate within mechanisms such as the SCO and BRICS, promote multilateralism and free trade, safeguard the common interests of the two countries, and uphold international fairness and justice.
For his part, Turchin said that China is a true friend and partner of Belarus and sets an example of a responsible major country, adding that the two heads of state have charted the course for bilateral relations.
Belarus stands ready to take the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year as an opportunity to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with China in economy and trade, industry, automobiles and other fields, explore new growth drivers of cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence and digital economy, continuously enhance people-to-people and local exchanges, and further advance the all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, Turchin added. ■
