Good brothers are blessed to share, and the technology at the bottom of the box is given to China to repay the favor
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, China has always adhered to a foreign policy of treating each other as equals and achieving mutual benefit and win-win results. In the past few decades of international exchanges, we have seen the conflict of interests between countries, experienced the changes in cooperation, and gained many friendships.
One of the most striking is the deep friendship with Pakistan, which we affectionately call "Pakistan Railway". In recent years, the friendly relations between Cambodia and China have also attracted widespread attention, and some people have even called it the second "Pakistani railway".
In addition, there is another country, praised by some domestic people as "white iron", and that is Belarus, which became independent after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Belarusians believe in sincerity, and they will give back to those who are kind to them. In the midst of the 2008 global economic crisis, Belarus suffered a sharp economic downturn due to domestic and foreign difficulties, and Russia was unable to provide assistance due to its own difficulties.
At this critical juncture, it was China that provided loans and economic and trade contracts to help Belarus weather the difficulties. Since then, Belarus has recognized China as a reliable ally.
Eight years later, when China encountered difficulties in the development of special vehicles, Belarus did not hesitate to donate their manufacturing technology to China out of gratitude to China, which also reflected the spirit of Belarus's gratitude and gratitude.
Belarus, located in the Eastern European Plain, has a population of more than 9 million and an area of more than 200,000 square kilometers. Among the three brothers of Kievan Rus, Belarus has the third largest population and land area, but its economic development is better than that of Ukraine, which is constantly destroying itself.
At present, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine continues, and Belarus faces sanctions together with Russia.
Despite the difficulties that Belarus is currently facing, this is not the most difficult period. Belarus was in a difficult situation in the first years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and its independence, and the years after the global economic crisis of 2008 were the real difficulties for Belarus.
In the 90s of the 20th century, although China also encountered difficulties, it insisted on strengthening cooperation with Belarus. We import machinery and equipment from Belarus, and at the same time supply them with ** light textiles and food at low prices.
Although the economic and trade volume between the two countries has not exceeded 100 million US dollars, China has still made its due contribution to the economic development of Belarus.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, China has rapidly climbed in the ranking of global economies. However, China has always insisted on putting friendship first, and its relations with Belarus have also been significantly improved.
By 2008, the amount of China and Belarus was close to $900 million. However, an economic crisis that has swept the world has hit Belarus's economic growth momentum hard.
The economy is stagnant, funds are scarce, products are overstocked, national income is plummeting, and Belarus has been asking for help in vain.
At a time when Belarus was in economic difficulties, China quickly extended a helping hand, signing construction contracts and labor contracts totaling more than $600 million with Belarus, and providing two tranches of preferential buyer's loans totaling up to $2 billion.
These aid measures have been a relief in the snow, successfully helping Belarus** to resolve the economic crisis, so that Belarus**, which is teetering on the edge of the economic cliff, has successfully survived the crisis.
Since then, China and Belarus have carried out in-depth cooperation in various fields such as mutual investment, project contracting, and scientific and technological research and development, and China has become the largest economic and trade partner of Belarus in Asia.
Belarusians have been mindful of China's help and kindness since they survived the crisis. In the 21st century, China is facing oppression and threats from the United States, and the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy has put pressure on China's security and living space.
Under these circumstances, China has had to strengthen its own defense capabilities. To this end, China has embarked on military technology research, but it faces many difficulties, including ICBM technology, which is highly mobile on the road and has high concealment and safety.
At the heart of this technology is the construction of powerful heavy-duty off-road transporters, but off-road heavy-duty truck chassis technology has been unable to overcome. At this time, China made a request to its Belarusian brothers for the purchase of heavy off-road transporters.
Belarus has signed contracts with China without reservation and has donated its core design and manufacturing know-how directly to China. On the basis of absorbing and assimilating Belarusian technologies, we have successfully developed a strategic heavy tractor.
When our country demonstrated the Dongfeng-41 intercontinental missile at the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the stunned foreign media unanimously agreed that it was"It is an important equipment support for China's national nuclear strategy in the new era"。
You must know that the Dongfeng-41 intercontinental missile is a masterpiece of the heavy weapons of a great power. Among them, the construction technology of wheeled tractors and weapon chassis was once praised by Russia"National Treasure Technology", it is definitely the bottom of the box technology in Belarus, which even the United States and other Western countries cannot get.
Belarus does not hesitate to give away military technology to China, including tanks, armored vehicles and automated transmission technology. By 2012, the two countries had signed 210 military agreements, which were effectively implemented.
In contrast, it is really disappointing that Ukraine, in cooperation with the Chinese company Madasich, tore up the contract because of its loyalty to the United States, which led to the collapse of the company.
After 30 years of ups and downs, the friendship between Belarus and China has now been sublimated into a comprehensive strategic partnership, and they have become important partners in building the Belt and Road Initiative.
The two countries have firmly supported each other politically, demonstrating a high degree of political mutual trust. The two heads of state maintained close communication to deepen their friendship. On August 10, 2020, the Chinese leader congratulated Lukashenko on his election to the 6th Belarusian election.
At a time when Europe, the United States and other countries refuse to recognize Lukashenko's victory, exert pressure on Belarus and impose severe sanctions, China firmly opposes interference in Belarus's internal affairs by external forces and supports Belarus's efforts to safeguard national independence, sovereignty, security and development.
Belarus** Lukashenko has repeatedly and publicly stated that China is a true friend of Belarus and expects to promote the continuous development of bilateral relations. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC, representatives from all walks of life in Belarus also congratulated China.
In addition, China and Belarus cooperate very closely with the United Nations and other international organizations. Especially in the fight against the new crown epidemic, China and Belarus have fought side by side to overcome difficulties, further deepened cooperation in various fields, and fully demonstrated the all-weather friendship between "hardcore friends".
After the outbreak of the epidemic in China in 2020, Belarus** Lukashenko personally wrote a letter of condolences, and ** also used military aircraft to provide anti-epidemic materials for China.
As the epidemic raged around the world and Belarus was also affected, China** and all sectors of society actively provided anti-epidemic medical supplies to Belarus. The Chinese Embassy in Belarus also donated 10,752 nucleic acid test kits to help Belarus improve its epidemic prevention capacity and strengthen its public health system.
China has also provided free assistance to two batches of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines, and has exchanged anti-epidemic experience with Belarusian medical experts through several meetings. In addition, with the support of Belarus**, China has launched the "Spring Sprout Campaign" in Belarus, and all Chinese citizens in Belarus can be vaccinated free of charge, which fully reflects the high level and particularity of China-Belarus relations.
Under the impact of the epidemic, China-Belarus economic and trade activities have performed steadily, but the first volume has achieved reverse growth. According to Belarusian statistics, in 2020 the amount of China and Belarus reached 54$2.5 billion, up 1$2.5 billion, ** The structure is becoming more diversified.
According to Belarus**, from 2015 to 2020, China provided Belarus with about 1$300 million in economic and technical assistance will be mainly used for the construction of infrastructure such as social housing and dormitories for university students.
In the next 3-4 years, it is expected that $800 million in construction projects will be planned.
The China-Belarus Industrial Park carries the hope of the Belt and Road Initiative and is a shining pearl of mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Belarus. The symbolic project has attracted 71 companies from 13 countries, with an estimated total investment of more than $1.2 billion and more than 1,000 direct jobs.
With the addition of the Eurasian Railway Company, the China-Europe Railway Express and other railway transport corridors will be connected with the China-Belarus Industrial Park, opening a new chapter for the future development of the industrial park.
The China-Belarus Industrial Park is not only listed as the first 5G test zone and the first unmanned vehicle test zone in Belarus, but also the two countries have achieved excellent results in educational cooperation.
Since 2018, the two countries have recognized each other's academic qualifications, and China will also provide Belarus with 40 scholarship exchange programs every year.
In 2020, almost 5,000 Chinese students studied in Belarus, and the number of Belarusian students studying in China exceeded 1,000. Among them, universities in Minsk are the first choice for most Chinese students.
More than 400 cooperation agreements have been signed between higher education institutions of the two sides, and China has established six Confucius Institutes and one Confucius Classroom in Belarus.
In addition, the cooperation between the two sides in scientific research is also very close. The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the Belarusian Academy of Sciences have jointly established the China-Belarus Forum on Humanitarian Cooperation, and international seminars are held annually on a rotating basis.
The two academies have also established the China-Belarus Development Analysis Center, which provides services for cooperation between the two countries and cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Shaping the future together: In the face of profound changes unseen in a century, the international order and global governance model are undergoing unprecedented adjustments. The post-pandemic era is coming, and China and Belarus need to work together to explore new paths of cooperation to safeguard the common interests of the two countries and contribute to building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Strengthening health cooperation is crucial, as the pandemic has had a profound impact on the world, and both countries** must prioritize protecting the lives and health of their citizens.
In March 2020, China advocated for the first time the concept of building a global community of health for all. Based on this concept, China and Belarus are making use of their respective advantages in the field of medicine, and scientific institutions and companies of the two countries are jointly exploring the joint development and production of medical devices and supplies.
In addition, we will strengthen bilateral health cooperation, establish health cooperation mechanisms, and share information and experience in areas such as vaccine research and development, prevention and treatment of infectious diseases, and emergency medical assistance, so as to improve our ability to respond to the epidemic.
China and Belarus should work together to uphold and promote the leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) in building a global community of health for all, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the fields of health information exchange, medical personnel training, epidemic prevention and relief under multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the China-CEE Cooperation Mechanism, and promote the building of a "Health Silk Road".
Next, China and Belarus need to strengthen strategic synergy and work together to build a mutually beneficial and win-win community. As 2022 marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the relationship between the two countries should be guided by the strategic consensus reached by the two heads of state, make full use of the existing communication mechanisms, strengthen discussion and coordination, and implement cooperation projects in various fields in a solid manner, centering on the common goals of the two countries' development plans.
Especially in terms of investment and economic and trade cooperation, it is necessary to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides should take measures to ensure the healthy development of existing investment cooperation projects, in addition to strengthening cooperation in the fields of agriculture and renewable energy, as well as emerging development modes such as e-commerce, digital economy and green economy, so as to ensure the continued vitality of China-Belarus cooperation.
Belarus is strategically located as an important transportation hub in Eurasia, where more than 80% of China-Europe freight trains pass through. Therefore, Belarus has great potential to further develop the Chinese market and expand exports to China.
To this end, we need to make the construction of the China-Belarus Industrial Park a key project, mobilize and attract the resources of multilateral development finance institutions, and ensure the commercial and financial sustainability of the park.
At the same time, we should try our best to introduce well-known large enterprises, develop pillar industries, and build industrial clusters with core competitiveness, so as to enhance our ability to open up international markets.
The China-Belarus Industrial Park must establish a strict monitoring mechanism and work closely with scientific research institutions to reserve talents for the future development of the park. The ultimate goal is to build the China-Belarus Industrial Park into an international eco-industrial park in the true sense of the word.
In addition, China and Belarus need to strengthen cooperation at the global level. At present, the global governance system is facing unprecedented challenges, and unilateralism, hegemonism, interventionism, the Cold War mentality and zero-sum game are preventing developing countries from safeguarding their legitimate rights and interests.
Therefore, China and Belarus should plan for future cooperation with a long-term and broad vision, actively respond to changes in the international environment and actively participate in the transformation of the international order. The two countries should strengthen cooperation under the multilateral framework, promote and practice the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind, so that changes in the international environment can benefit the interests of China and Belarus and the vast number of developing countries.
China and Belarus need to continue to deepen local cooperation and people-to-people exchanges, so as to lay a solid social foundation for bilateral cooperation. After the epidemic is brought under control, we should resume people-to-people exchanges as soon as possible, fully tap the potential of existing exchange platforms, and regularly carry out rich and diverse cultural exchanges, scientific and technological exchanges, and educational exchanges.
At the same time, we should also pay close attention to exchanges between women, young people and people with disabilities, and strengthen dialogue and exchanges between think tanks, so as to form a diversified and interactive pattern of people-to-people exchanges.
Only in this way will China and Belarus be invincible in the global ups and downs and join hands with the vast number of developing countries on the road to prosperity and strength.
This study synthesizes the views of two scholars, Zhao Huirong and Jiang Qiongqiong, and analyzes the impact of the novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic on Belarus and the cooperation between China and Belarus in the "Silk Road Economic Belt".