First Deputy PM: whole range of specific issues of co-operation on agenda of Chinese Premier’s visit to Belarus
The whole range of specific issues of Belarusian-Chinese co-operation will be reflected in the agenda of the upcoming visit to Belarus by Li Qiang, the Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China – as noted by First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov after today’s meeting with President Aleksandr Lukashenko on international issues
In particular, he noted, “The nature of the visit and its essence are based on the theses voiced by Chinese leader Xi Jinping at his meeting with Belarus’ President in Astana. He said that the Premier would arrive in our country to settle the whole range of certain issues. Therefore, all the specifics of our relations in the trade-economic and investment spheres will primarily be on the visit’s agenda.”
According to the First Deputy PM, this will be a historic visit, giving a powerful impetus to the broad investment arrival of Chinese business to Belarus.
“Its basis will be actually formed by the economic strategy, determined at the recent plenum by the People’s Republic of China. This is a new productive force that includes science, innovation, and human capital. In principle, Belarus and China will also liaise in this context,” Nikolai Snopkov clarified.
The official noted that during the visit, a decision will be made to declare next year the Year of Science and Innovation in Belarus-China co-operation, “It will also give impetus to investments and technologies that we can and should borrow from the People’s Republic of China in order to change the structure of the economy, enabling us to be in demand and competitive in emerging markets.”
At the same time, Nikolai Snopkov drew attention to some features of the traditions of doing business by the Chinese side, “They are very careful. A Chinese director will never make a decision before receiving a clear and detailed report from experts.”
According to the First Deputy PM, there is another side to the sometimes lengthy process of organising co-operation in some areas.
“We have our own procedures for settling issues in the investment and economic environment, while China has its own. They are quite long, and this should be taken into account. Therefore, the question is not about our promptness and not about the problems of the Chinese side. The question is simply about the procedural issues of solving problems,” Nikolai Snopkov summed up.
