Buzzoca

Belarus and China will sign an agreement to establish a free trade zone for services and investments, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko announced today during a reception in Minsk for Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang.

Several important documents aimed at strengthening the partnership between Minsk and Beijing will be signed during Li Qiang’s rare trip to Belarus, the first since 2015, according to Lukashenko.

 

‘One of these [documents] could certainly be described as historic. It’s an agreement on the creation of a free trade zone for services and investments,’ said Lukashenko, quoted in a press release from the Belarusian presidency.

According to the head of state, ‘Belarus is the first country in the Eurasian Economic Union to sign such an agreement with China,’ which should allow for the establishment of ‘transparent’ trade rules.

Thanks to this unprecedented trade agreement, the Belarusian leader said he now expects an increase in his country’s exports of services to China of between 12 and 15 per cent and in Chinese investment in Belarus of at least 30 per cent.

Belarus, which is very dependent on its Russian ally financially and politically, has excellent relations with China and wants to strengthen this link, as has Moscow, the target of numerous Western sanctions for its attack on Ukraine.

Li Qiang arrived in Belarus after a visit to Russia, where he met with his Russian counterpart, Mikhail Mishustin, and was received in the Kremlin by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

China presents itself as neutral in the conflict in Ukraine and guarantees that it is not supplying arms to any of the parties. Meanwhile, the Americans and Europeans regularly accuse the Chinese of offering Russia crucial economic support for its war effort.

Belarus is not directly involved in the fighting in Ukraine, but has lent its territory to the Russian army so that it can launch its military offensive in February 2022.

In power for 30 years, Alexander Lukashenko has repressed protest movements against his government.