Belarus, China pledge to strengthen security ties

Belarus and China agreed to strengthen their security and economic ties, according to a joint statement released Aug. 23.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko in Minsk on Aug. 22.

According to the statement, Beijing and Minsk pledged not only to strengthen security ties but also to improve cooperation in the finance and energy sectors. The countries also agreed to enhance cooperation in industrial supply chains.

Li's visit to Belarus comes on the heels of his first state visit to Russia as China's premier. Belarus and China remain key Kremlin allies as Western sanctions increasingly isolate Moscow on the international stage.

Belarus on July 4 joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization or SCO, a Eurasian political, economic and defense organization led by Russia and China.

Shortly thereafter, the Chinese and Belarusian militaries on July 8 conducted joint military drills at the Brestskiy training range next to the border with Ukraine and Poland.

Although China officially maintains a neutral stance on Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine and denies providing lethal aid to Moscow, Beijing and Moscow continue to strengthen their ties.

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The Kyiv IndependentMaria Yeryoma