Monitoring Desk
BEIJING: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is all set to visit China on February 28 (Tuesday) for an official visit, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Saturday.
Alexander Lukashenko is a close ally of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin and has backed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Belarus financially and politically dependent on its neighbor.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that at the invitation of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the Belarusian President would pay a state visit to Beijing from February 28 (Tuesday) to March 2.
Chinese foreign minister Qin Gang told Belarusian foreign minister Sergei Aleinik that China wants to work with Belarus to deepen mutual political trust during a telephonic conversation on Friday, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
Chinese foreign minister told the Belarusian foreign minister that Beijing will also continue to support Minsk in maintaining its national security and stability and will oppose “external forces” attempts to interfere in its internal affairs or impose unilateral sanctions on Belarus.
Xi, Lukashenko announce all-weather strategic partnership
In September last year, Xi Jinping and Alexander Lukashenko announced an “all-weather” strategic collaboration when the two met in the Uzbek capital Samarkand.
Belarus, which shares a border with Russia and Ukraine, allowed Moscow to use its territory to launch airstrikes on Ukraine last year.
Ukraine has expressed concerns that Belarus could again support Moscow’s war effort.
On Friday, China released a 12-point proposed plan on the conflict calling for urgent peace negotiation and a “political settlement” to the Ukraine conflict.
Timed to coincide with the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the proposed plan urges all parties to “support Ukraine and Russia in working in the same direction and resuming direct talks as quickly as possible.”
