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Lukashenko signs USD 1-1/2 bn worth of contracts

China and Belarus signed a declaration on the establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries

BEIJING, July 17 (Itar-Tass) - Belarus and China signed 1.5 billion U.S. dollars’ worth of contracts during President Alexander Lukashenko’s three-day official visit to Beijing that ended on Wednesday, July 17.

Earlier in the day, Lukashenko met with Prime Minister Li Keqiang and Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

More than 30 agreements and contracts were signed during the visit. The Belarusian Ministry of Industry and the Chinese corporation Zhejiang Geely Holding Group signed an agreement on serial production of cars in Belarus.

China’s Ex-Im Bank will give a low-interest loan for building a power transmission line for the Belarusian nuclear power plant.

Agreements were signed on cooperation between the Belarusian and Chinese Prosecutor General’s Offices, on cooperation in the field of space and defence technologies, and on the creation of an industrial park in Belarus and Harbin’s sub-park in it.

The two countries signed agreements on cooperation and friendly exchanges between the south Chinese city of Shenzhen and Minsk, and on cooperation in implementing joint investment projects.

During his meeting with Li on Tuesday, July 16, Lukashenko suggested working out a new roadmap for the development of bilateral relations. “This is exactly what we need today and I am confident that by the end of the year our agencies and our governments will be able to give us this programme for further cooperation between Belarus and the People’s Republic of China,” Lukashenko said.

China and Belarus signed a declaration on the establishment of strategic partnership between the two countries.

Diplomatic relations between Belarus and China were established on January 20, 1992. Lukashenko travelled to China on official and working visits and Minsk received top Chinese officials several times.

China is one of the key foreign trade partners of Belarus. China ranked fifth among them in 2009.

Belarusian export to China consists mainly of potassium fertilizers, rock haulers and spare parts for them, electronic chips, and chemical products. The country buys Chinese equipment, components and materials for export-oriented industries, and consumer goods.

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