Lukashenko's Hopes For China Have Not Materialized
- 27.01.2026, 20:26
The dictator is unhappy with the development of relations with Beijing.
The directive on the development of cooperation with China for 2021-2025 has not been realized. This Alexander Lukashenko said on January 27 at a meeting dedicated to Belarus' interaction with China.
Lukashenko noted that Chinese investments abroad are growing significantly, especially in the countries of the Belt and Road Initiative. The Belarusian government also reports about the growth: in the first nine months of last year the volume of Chinese investments increased more than two and a half times and amounted to $443 million.
But these figures, Lukashenko says, are much lower than those laid down in the directive - at least half a billion dollars annually and a minimum of 150 million direct investments in each region and Minsk.
Lukashenko pointed out that the volume of Chinese direct investments in some regions looks very modest, which indicates insufficient investment by China. At the same time, he stressed that the problem is not in China, but in the organization of work on the Belarusian side.
Lukashenko also expressed confidence that the expansion of air links with such cities as Hainan, Shanghai and Urumqi will quickly restore tourist flows and increase their contribution to the economy.
According to him, Belarusian exports to China have already exceeded the volume of supplies to the European Union and, according to him, this is a long-term trend. At the same time, the export volume of about $1.7 billion for 2025 and the share of just over 4% - this, he said, is not enough.
Lukashenko emphasized that Belarus' share in Chinese imports remains minuscule and questioned the effectiveness of the previous directive. He urged to significantly increase China's participation in the total Belarusian exports - ideally to double-digit figures - and to fix these goals in the new directive for the next five years.
Directive No. 9 on the development of bilateral relations between Belarus and China was signed on December 3, 2021 and is scheduled to last until 2025; a similar document was in force in the previous period.