Details of Lukashenko's Confidential Meetings with Chinese Business Circles Become Known

On September 2nd, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko held a series of meetings with representatives of Chinese business circles, reports BELTA.

Significant emphasis was placed on Belarus-China cooperation during the current visit of Alexander Lukashenko to China, where the SCO summit recently concluded. Prior to these meetings, the Belarusian leader engaged in talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin. Now, the bilateral agenda at the highest level continues with contacts involving the leadership of several major Chinese companies. Some of these meetings were conducted behind closed doors.

Discussions focused on promising projects in sectors such as industry, automotive and engine manufacturing, and the development of greenhouse farming for vegetables and flowers.

What Was Discussed at the Confidential Meetings?

Details about the specific individuals involved or the topics discussed remain undisclosed. However, some statements made by the head of state have been publicly shared. Based on these, it appears that the talks centered on cooperation in industry, industrial cooperation, and particularly engine production.

"First of all, I want to thank you for actively working in Belarus during these challenging times for us—times marked by various pressures on Belarus. We see this, and we greatly appreciate it. Therefore, my primary goal today in meeting with you is to assure that we will faithfully fulfill our commitments. The products you produce are very much needed here. We know how to make engines, and your company is very advanced. This will be a good lineup in Belarus, which, unfortunately, we do not yet possess but are striving to develop. Working together with you will accelerate this process. All of this is relevant and necessary for us today,"—stated Alexander Lukashenko.

The President also touched upon the possibility of joint efforts to promote products in emerging markets across Asia and Africa. Countries that have recently freed themselves from colonial dependence are eager to establish equal relations with others. "We are ready to produce and sell products with you in developing markets. You, as a practical person, understand that we can produce everything. But selling in such intense competition is a challenge. We are ready to be useful to you in this regard,"—the President emphasized.

Another meeting focused on automobile manufacturing. "I know you have a certain interest in working in Belarus. We need your products. You know what we are capable of in the automotive industry. We are also very interested in joint manufacturing of vehicles with you, which you will be able to sell alongside us in markets closer to Belarus. We will do everything possible to support this,"—the head of state affirmed.

Development of Greenhouse Farming Based on Chinese Experience

Two meetings with representatives of Chinese companies were dedicated to the prospects of developing greenhouse farming. China is willing to share its advanced technological experience in cultivating vegetables, berries, and flowers—products that are not only in demand in Belarus but also possess significant export potential.

"You are very actively collaborating with our regions. You have the latest technologies in design, construction, and operation of greenhouse complexes, as far as I understand. We look forward to welcoming you to Belarus. We have plenty of land and soil suitable for greenhouses. If you use drip irrigation and plant feeding, we have some experience in this area. There are people in Belarus capable of working on these complexes,"—said the President.

He also highlighted Belarus’s competitive advantages for developing this sector: affordable natural gas, sufficient electricity supplies, domestic fertilizers, and qualified personnel. Nearby is a large Russian market, and there is demand for this produce across Europe. "Therefore, you can seriously expand your operations in Belarus and on our market,"—the President noted.

Lukashenko additionally proposed that, if necessary, subsequently, the produced goods could be exported to China. "I know you are currently partially investing in greenhouse construction. But I am confident that within a year, you will want to build your own, fully Chinese, greenhouse complexes for operation in those markets,"—he said. "In short, you can count on support from our government for vegetable production in enclosed ground. You can produce for China—produce as much as you can, and take it all to China."

Another meeting in Beijing involved Alexander Lukashenko and the leadership of Shandong Hualian Greenhouse Engineering, headed by Chairman Yan Hongliang. This company specializes in flower cultivation.

"You are probably the most prosperous and most sought-after guests in Belarus. I mean, we import flower products from everywhere—Ecuador included. So, Mr. Chen, your gates are open. The Belarusian and Russian markets are still largely untapped, as are the European markets. There is almost no competition. If you start selling your beautiful floral products, including orchids, tomorrow, we would be very grateful,"—stated the head of state.

This again relates to the possibility of constructing greenhouse complexes in Belarus, specifically for flower cultivation—roses, orchids, chrysanthemums, and others.

The Benefits of Chinese Technologies for Belarus

Following the negotiations, Belarus’s First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolay Snopkov shared with journalists the expected effects of joint technological development with China. This will be the focus of the countries’ efforts in the coming years. The process was initiated during the meeting of Belarusian and Chinese leaders in Tianjin, and work is already underway. "We have already begun a cycle of investment projects this year (ahead of 2026–2027), which, in my view, will radically transform our country’s technological structure within 2–4 years,"—said Snopkov.

Significant results are already evident from the discussions Lukashenko held during his visit to China in early June. "Today, we see the results of those meetings. Several investment projects worth approximately $130 million have been signed,"—noted Snopkov.

However, this sum does not include the value of the technologies transferred from China to Belarus, which involve substantial R&D costs. "For example, one of the companies with which we signed a specific investment project spends $2 billion annually on R&D—research and development. This reflects, to a large extent, the level of the finalized agreements,"—he emphasized.

Primarily, these technologies relate to mechanical engineering, automotive manufacturing, and agriculture.

In turn, Belarusian Industry Minister Andrei Kuznetsov expressed interest in adopting modern Chinese technologies in machinery manufacturing. "New technologies will help us produce a more competitive product,"—he stated.

He also highlighted that these are mutually beneficial relationships, where both sides gain what they need for dynamic development.