Lukashenko Reveals Their "Family-Like" Relationship with Xi Jinping

In an interview with Simon Shuster, a correspondent for Time magazine, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confided that during his visit to China—while still serving as a deputy—he sensed that the future belonged to that nation.

According to the Belarusian leader, the opposition at the time responded to his words with skepticism, insisting that China would never rise to prominence.

"As for Xi Jinping and our friendly relations, when he was the second in command in China, he visited me. I remember he asked me to describe how I saw the situation in the world. We discussed many things. We approached a globe (which still sits in my office), and I outlined the situation as I saw it on the map. I shared with him my insights about our relationship with China," Lukashenko recounted.

At one point, Belarus transferred technology to China for the production of dump trucks, further strengthening the mutual trust between the two nations.

"We have established what you might call, a family-like relationship with them. We have a kind of communication, where my family—Kolia and I—go to his (Xi Jinping's) home, and we discuss various issues. He has been to my house. Over the years, warm and friendly ties have developed between us," the Belarusian leader shared.