Belarus president meets with Chinese senior military official

Alexander Lukashenko, president of the Republic of Belarus, met with Xu Caihou, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC) of the People's Republic of China (PRC) who was visiting Belarus, at the presidential palace on the morning of July 11, 2012.

Xu Caihou first conveyed President Hu Jintao's kind greetings and good wishes. Lukashenko expressed his thanks and asked Xu Caihou to return his kind greetings and best regards to President Hu Jintao.

Lukashenko welcomed Xu Caihou to visit Belarus, and pointed out this visit is a great event in the military relations between Belarus and China, which will inject new vitality into the further development of the relations between the two countries.

Lukashenko also expressed China is the best friend of Belarus, and Belarus is a partner that deserves China's high degree of trust. Belarus and China have maintained a tradition of friendly relationship. The relationship between the two countries has now upgraded to the strategic level. Belarus is deeply satisfied with the current development of the relations between the two countries. Belarus and China share many common interests with considerable potentials for cooperation.

Belarus is willing to work together with China to push forward the constant development of the relations between the two countries and the two militaries. Lukashenko also expressed his gratitude to China for its long-term support to the construction of Belarus and its military. He reiterated the Belarus Government's commitment to China in unswervingly upholding the principle of "One China", and firmly supporting the cause of China's reunification.

Xu Caihou said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Belarus 20 years ago, the relations between the two countries have maintained a healthy and stable developing momentum as evidenced by frequent high-level reciprocal visits, increasingly deepened political mutual trust, fruitful results in economic cooperation, and increasingly active cultural exchanges, while both countries have maintained close coordination and cooperation in international affairs. The Chinese side thanks the Belarus side for its steadfast support on those issues involving China's core interests, and also understands and respects the choice that the Belarus Government and people have made for their own path of development in accordance with their national conditions. Belarus is a sincere friend and reliable partner of China. Seeing the care and the push from the top leaders of the two countries as well as the solid foundation of and strong desire for friendly exchanges between the people of both countries, the relations between China and Belarus that have ushered into a new stage of comprehensive development and strategic cooperation are bound to embrace a brighter future. Xu Caihou expressed that as an important component of the relations between the two countries, the military relations between China and Belarus have maintained a smooth development. The continuous high-level exchanges between the two militaries and the increasingly deepened professional exchanges in various fields have made significant contribution to the comprehensive and in-depth development of the relations between China and Belarus.

During the meeting, Lukashenko decorated Xu Caihou with the "People's Friendship Medal".

Du Jincai, deputy director of the General Political Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Gong Jianwei, Chinese Ambassador to Belarus, Zadobin Iury Viktorovich, Belarus secretary of defense, and Alexei Yelfimov, first deputy secretary of the National Security Council of Belarus, also attended the meeting.