BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

06/11/2007

Wen Jiabao Arrives in Minsk for Official Visit to Belarus

On the evening of November 4, 2007, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Minsk, capital of Belarus, to start an official visit to the country. This is the third leg of Wen's four-nation tour.

At 6:45 p.m. local time, Premier Wen's special plane landed at the Minsk International Airport. Belarusian Acting Prime Minister Vladimir Semashko, Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov, Ambassador to China Anatoly Tozik, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Wu Hongbin and other embassy staff greeted Wen and his entourage at the airport. Representatives from Chinese-funded institutions and Chinese students also welcomed the Chinese delegation at the airport.

In a written statement delivered at the airport upon his arrival, Wen said China and Belarus are good friends and partners and the two people enjoy a traditional friendship which goes back to ancient times. Since the forging of diplomatic ties 15 years ago, China-Belarus relations have maintained a sound momentum of development with frequent high-level exchanges, increasing political trust, and fruitful cooperation in international affairs.

Wen said in December 2005, President Lukashenko and President Hu Jintao signed a joint statement between the two countries in Beijing, announcing that bilateral ties have entered a new stage of all-round development and strategic cooperation. The purpose of the premier's current visit is to, through his meetings with President Lukashenko and other Belarusian leaders, implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and exchange in-depth views on how to further push forward bilateral ties and enhance cooperation, so as to inject new vitality into bilateral ties.

Wen arrived in Minsk after concluding his official visit to Turkmenistan. Upon Premier Wen's departure from Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov and several other senior government officials, as well as Chinese Ambassador to Turkmenistan Lu Guicheng and other embassy staff saw him off at the airport. Representatives from Chinese-funded institutions, overseas Chinese and Chinese students also went to the airport to see off the premier.

Source:

http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zxxx/t378359.htm