New opportunities in Belarus-China cooperation discussed in Minsk

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko held a working meeting with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Belarus to China Yuri Senko in Minsk on 1 August, BelTA has learned.

"You have worked long enough in China to get some impression of what this empire is and to identify some additional opportunities for us in the People's Republic of China," Aleksandr Lukashenko said.

According to the president, special attention should be paid to trade and economic cooperation between the two countries and also to credit and financial interaction. "Here we need to look, taking into account the moment where we still need to step up work in order not to lose the momentum. The dynamics have been good, both in terms of trade and investment. Naturally, in the context of sanctions China can be wary of any steps: they are very careful, cautious people. Nevertheless, it is very good that we have built good relations with the People's Republic of China," the head of state said.

China is traditionally one of the three trading partners of Belarus. In 2021, the trade reached a record $5.9 billion. In January-May, the trade between Belarus and China amounted to almost $2 billion. Belarus' major exports to China are potash fertilizers, food and agricultural products, timber.