Initiative provides new growth point for the world: Belarusian President

President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko during the signing of a treaty of friendship and cooperation and a joint statement on deepening cooperation after their talks in Minsk, capital of Belarus, May 10, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Republic of Belarus will continue to strengthen its ties with China, as the country's Belt and Road Initiative is providing a new economic growth point for the world, said the country's president, Alexander Lukashenko.

The president made clear in 2015 the standpoint to support China's Belt and Road Initiative, saying Belarus was willing to become an important pillar of the proposal in Europe.

He also will participate in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation this month in Beijing.

In an exclusive interview, Lukashenko said his participation in the forum in Beijing shows Belarus highly values the Belt and Road Initiative, and also demonstrates relations between the two countries have reached their highest point.

"I will meet and talk with President Xi Jinping about bilateral cooperation as well as international issues," he said.

Lukashenko said when countries propose cooperation, they always raise some political requirements, which become an obstacle to the development of cooperation.

He told China Daily the most important feature of the Belt and Road is that during its development, China has never raised any requirements to participating countries, thus creating no disagreements.

"Once we don't have any disagreements, we will have better and smoother cooperation," the president said. "China knows this very much, therefore I have to say Chinese is a wise people."

He said the Belt and Road is an initiative with international influence, and China is providing loans, investment and the most advanced technologies to those who participate in the new Silk Road.

Lying in Eastern Europe, Belarus is one of the first members of the Eurasian Economic Union and joined in May 2014.

Lukashenko said the territory of the Eurasian Economic Union is over twice as large as China, and can provide huge support to China when coordinating with the Belt and Road.

Meanwhile, there are more natural resources and well-trained workers in the Eurasian Economic Union, not to mention people from the member countries greatly treasure friendship with China, according to the president.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the establishment for diplomatic relations between Belarus and China, and a comprehensive strategic partnership, featuring mutual trust and win-win cooperation, was built during Lukashenko's visit to China in September 2016.

Lukashenko said the strategic partnership of the two countries has reached its highest point in history, and all topics, such as military, diplomacy, security and energy sectors, can be discussed under such a relationship.

He said what he understood about the Belt and Road is not about China selling its own products, but creating co-prosperity with all the participants around the world.

"China has become more important to the international community than ever, and I believe there are not any international or regional issues that can be solved without China," Lukashenko said.