China is preparing to host a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin for a state visit, amid warnings from US officials that Beijing may be considering helping Moscow in its attack on Ukraine.
The President of Belarus, Alexandr Lukashenko, should hold talks with Chinese authorities in Beijing between Tuesday (28) and Thursday (2), at the invitation of Chinese leader Xi Jinping, announced the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China.
The trip comes after the two leaders agreed to upgrade their countries’ ties to a “comprehensive all-weather strategic partnership” during a September meeting on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan, which Putin also attended.
Lukashenko’s visit – which allowed Russian troops to use Belarus to stage their initial foray into Ukraine last year – comes as tensions between the US and China have soared in recent weeks, including over Washington’s concerns of that Beijing is considering sending aid to the Kremlin’s war efforts.
Beijing has rejected these allegations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday (27) that China was “actively promoting peace talks and the political solution of the crisis”, while the US “was pouring lethal weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine”.
Despite its partnership with Russia, China claims to be neutral in the Ukraine conflict.
Last Friday (24), Beijing released a 12-point position on the “political solution” to the crisis, in a document calling for peace talks to end the year-long war. Its disclosure, however, was criticized by Western leaders, who accused China of siding with Russia.
Xi Jinping has yet to speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky since the invasion of Russia began, although he has spoken to Putin on several occasions, including in person.
In an interview with China’s state-run Xinhua news agency released ahead of his visit, Lukashenko said the position paper was a testament to China’s peaceful foreign policy and a new and original step that would have far-reaching impact.
While growing economic ties between China and Belarus are expected to be an important component of this week’s talks, the conflict in Ukraine will loom over the discussions.
Belarus was the target of broad sanctions by the US and its allies in response to Moscow’s aggression after Lukashenko allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine across the border between the two countries.
Belarus already had tense relations with Western powers, with the European Union not recognizing the results of Lukashenko’s victory in the 2020 elections – which sparked mass pro-democracy protests in the country and was followed by a government crackdown.
There were fears during the conflict in Ukraine that Belarus would again be used as a launch pad for another Russian offensive, or that Lukashenko’s own troops would join the war. Before visiting Moscow earlier this month, Lukashenko said there was “no way” his country would send troops into Ukraine unless it was attacked.
Against the backdrop of the country’s damaged ties with the West – and an interest in diversifying an economy dependent on Russia – Lukashenko may focus on strengthening economic ties with China during this visit.
Belarus was one of the first to join China’s Belt and Road development initiative, launched a decade ago, and trade between the two last year increased by 33% year-on-year, surpassing US$5 billion.
In a call between Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang and his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Aleinik, Qin pledged that China would “support Belarus in its efforts to safeguard national stability and development” and “oppose foreign interference in the internal affairs of Belarus and the illegal unilateral sanctions against the country”.
On Monday, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman told a briefing that Lukashenko’s visit would be “an opportunity to pursue further progress in cooperation between the two countries”.
Source: CNN Brasil
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