Belarus and China are becoming closer at the regional level. On May 19, a series of meetings and negotiations took place in Minsk, reaffirming their mutual interest in developing relations from the economy to humanitarian ties. A delegation from Gansu Province arrived in Belarus. The Chinese partners first discussed the development of relations within the government, and then visited the Great Stone Industrial Park to learn about specific examples of cooperation.

The Deputy Governor of Gansu Province studied the operations of the Great Stone with interest. Wang Bin has never been to Belarus before, although he has likely heard of the industrial park, as it is a model example of Belarusian-Chinese relations.

A matchmaking session was held there on May 19. This is not a new platform; it has long been established in business circles. Belarusian companies presented their capabilities to their Chinese counterparts. The B2B (business-to-business) format allowed for direct discussions of mutual supplies and the development of cooperation.

Zhang Zhengnan, Head of the Foreign Trade Department of a logistics company (China):

"Our corporation has long been cooperating with Belarus. This fruitful cooperation is under the Belt and Road Initiative, covering both exports and imports. Next month, we plan to sign a framework agreement with the Grodno Region, which will cover a wide range of industries. I believe there are many prospects in the cultural and tourism sectors, and we still have room for improvement."

Incidentally, the event at the Great Stone is not the only reason for the visit: Gansu Province will host the first regional cooperation forum between the two countries in 2026. The partners intend to strengthen diplomacy between Chinese provinces and Belarusian regions. The government announced plans to hold at least one such event per year.

Nikolai Snopkov, First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus:

"Our President, Alexander Lukashenko, always emphasizes the importance, necessity, and timeliness of elevating our economic relations to the level of political and human relations. On May 12 of this year, the President of our country approved a new directive on the development of relations between Belarus and China. This is an internal document, and it serves as a reference for our leaders in achieving the stated goals of cooperation with the People's Republic of China in investment, trade, and economic areas."

The leaders of the two countries personally oversee interregional ties and have repeatedly emphasized the importance of such interaction, especially since there are plenty of specific areas and areas for intensifying contacts.

For over 30 years, Minsk and Beijing have been building a trusting dialogue in both economics and politics. Belarus is ready to continue working closely with China. The leaders agreed to intensify bilateral relations. All attention is now focused on technological modernization in industry.

Alexander Lukashenko, President of Belarus:

"At the meeting with Chairman Xi Jinping, we agreed that we will do everything to ensure that no storms or blizzards can disrupt our unity, so that we can continue, as we have for the past 30 years, to develop and deepen our relations. We are ready to do everything for the People's Republic of China, which is in its interests in Belarus, which is located in the center of Europe. We will do everything to strengthen our friendship."

Incidentally, a delegation from the Grodno Region will travel to Gansu. The forum is intended to become an incubator for new industrial projects and investment agreements. The partners have long established ties in petrochemicals, agriculture, and logistics, but now they are raising the bar even higher. Grodno businesses are preparing a portfolio of proposals.

Andrei Boltrik, Deputy Chairman of the Grodno Regional Executive Committee:

"We see investment as the primary area for further cooperation. This is our primary prospect – joint investment projects in the interests of both our countries. Gansu Province has certain competencies, primarily in agriculture, as Gansu Province is a rice-growing zone, meaning agriculture is quite highly developed there. Given the developed agricultural sector in the Grodno Region, this is an area that, I am confident, will lead to mutually beneficial results in the future."

Belarus's trade with this Chinese province has been growing at double-digit rates in recent years. And today's talks demonstrated that both countries attach great importance to developing and strengthening an all-weather and comprehensive strategic partnership.