Dzmitry Yemelyanau, Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Chongqing
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: We are looking forward to opening a new chapter of deepening China-Belarus cooperation in Chongqing!
Interview with Dzmitry Yemelyanau, Consul General of Belarus in Chongqing
Belarus was one of the first countries to respond to and actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and is actively promoting its high-quality development. In recent years, under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, China-Belarus cooperation has been deepening, and bilateral trade has been growing steadily.
On January 28, 2021, the Consulate General of Belarus in Chongqing was opened, with a consular district covering Chongqing, Sichuan, Gansu, Shanxi and Hubei. Belarus is the twelfth country to open a consulate general in Chongqing. A few days ago, Chongqing Currents spoke to Dmitry Yemelyanov, the Consul General of Belarus in Chongqing.
Chongqing is an Important Region for Sino-Belarusian Cooperation
CQ CURRENTS: Belarusian-Chinese relations are actively developing now. What role does Chongqing play in them?
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: Belarus was one of the first countries to respond to and actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and is now working together to promote its high-quality development. In September 2022, the leaders of China and Belarus jointly announced the establishment of an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership, and the relationship between the two countries was elevated to a new level. With the active support of the Chinese leadership, in 2024 Belarus officially became the tenth member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and the first BRICS partner country.
Belarus is currently a dynamically expanding country, one of the world's major exporters of trucks, tractors, and potash fertilizers, as well as a quickly emerging space technology and space equipment manufacturer. Belarusian spacecraft and satellites are currently in orbit. We also make a special effort to ensure global food security. Belarus offers many advantages, including its favourable geographic location and business environment. In August 2024, Belarus and China signed the Agreement between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Belarus on Trade and Investment in Services, making Belarus the first country in the Eurasian Economic Union to sign such an agreement.
I would like to emphasise once again that interregional cooperation is becoming one of the most essential driving forces for the overall growth of Belarusian-Chinese ties. The deepening of collaboration between Belarus and Chongqing undoubtedly provides a substantial boost to Belarusian-Chinese cooperation. Chongqing is crucial to two main regional development concepts: the Yangtze River Development Concept and the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Ring. Belarus, located in the heart of Europe, has an ideal geographical position, with most of China’s key highways and rail lines to Europe passing through it.
2024 Rich Achievements
CQ CURRENTS: What new achievements have been made in cooperation between Belarus and Chongqing in 2024?
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: The year 2024 has become a genuinely historic year for ties between Belarus and Chongqing; it was packed with many positive results.
In May of this year, the Republic of Belarus was named the guest of honour at Western China's biggest International Trade and Investment Fair. As part of the event, the National Pavilion of the Republic of Belarus was established, where 18 of the major companies from Minsk, Chongqing’s twin city, showcased their products. The Chinese-Belarusian Industrial Park "Great Stone," a prime example of successful bilateral investment and industrial collaboration, was prominently displayed at the centre of the pavilion. Today, the Park, which Chinese President Xi Jinping has dubbed the "Pearl of the Silk Road Economic Belt," is home to over 135 residents, half of which are funded by Chinese firms. There are strong examples of medical product manufacturing and traditional Chinese medicine, with over 30 companies producing medicinal items in our park.
At present, there are no companies from Chongqing, but we are actively seeking cooperation with local Chinese companies in the fields of medical equipment and automotive components manufacturing, in order to expand the basis of our cooperation in the near future.
Furthermore, with the support of the local government, the Belarus-Chongqing Business Forum was held, attracting more than 50 companies, highlighting the mutual readiness for productive cooperation. The Forum led to the signing of 13 agreements totalling approximately 227 million CNY (31 million dollars).
In August 2024, Chongqing Municipality and Minsk Oblast signed the Programme of Cooperation between Chongqing Municipality of the People's Republic of China and Minsk Oblast of the Republic of Belarus. This document outlines specific projects in trade, economy, investment, culture, tourism, and education, pointing to a new direction for further deepening cooperation between Belarus and Chongqing.
At the International Twin Cities Forum in Kunming, Yunnan Province, in November 2024, Minsk Oblast was awarded the "Outstanding Partner Award in Cooperation with China," becoming the only partner city of Chongqing to receive this honour at the event.
Rapid Growth of Trade and Investment in the Country
CQ CURRENTS: In which areas of cooperation are there new prospects?
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: The high level of political trust between our countries' leaders ensures close cooperation in trade, economic and investment fields. In terms of trade cooperation, Belarus and Chongqing have a complementary relationship. The two sides are effectively exploiting the potential of rail routes: Chongqing is supplying Belarus with industrial equipment, electronics, and passenger vehicles, while Belarus is providing high-quality agricultural and food products, timber, and pulp that are in strong demand in the Chinese market. In 2023, the total import and export value between Chongqing and Belarus reached 1.02 billion CNY, a year-on-year increase of 100.9%. By October 2024 alone, trade between the two regions has more than doubled compared to the previous year. We will continue to set new records in trade cooperation, identify more points of cooperation, and create more joint ventures.
Highlights Person to Person Exchanges
CQ CURRENTS: Apart from the economy and investment, what can you say about the achievements in humanitarian cooperation between Belarus and Chongqing?
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: We, like the Chinese people, attach great importance to the historical memory of the Great Patriotic War, which cost enormous losses.
Chongqing and Minsk are two Hero cities. During World War II, Chongqing also suffered greatly from the Japanese invaders who sided with the Nazis. Above all, the city stood up and was able to repel the aggression of the Japanese militarists through joint efforts, including with the Soviet Union army.
In 2024, in collaboration with the leadership of Chongqing City and Wanzhou District, it was possible to hold two events to commemorate the heroes who fought for victory in World War II. It's amazing how a Chinese family still honors the memory of a Soviet hero who saved an entire district at the cost of his life in 1939. The memory of generations makes Belarus-Chongqing relations stronger.
We are grateful to the Sichuan University of Foreign Languages and the Center for the Study of Belarus in Chongqing, which provided all possible assistance in holding the thematic photo exhibition “Sovereign Belarus”, which reflected the achievements of our country in recent decades.
Thanks to the visa-free regime, citizens of our countries have the opportunity to visit each other without any problems. I would like to note that the Republic of Belarus is already very popular among Chinese residents, including the growing flow of tourists from Chongqing. Our country is rich in unique natural landscapes. No wonder our country is called the land of forests and lakes.
In addition, this year the Belarusian Ministry of Sports organized a press tour for representatives of tourism and the media, during which the tourism potential of not only the capital city Minsk, but also the regions was presented.It was a great success. We will be inviting Chongqing media to participate in this series of events in 2025. I am sure that the number of tourist exchanges will increase in the near future.
Joint Expansion of China-Europe Trains
CQ CURRENTS: Chongqing and Belarus are both important nodes of the China-EU liner, could you comment on the cooperation between the two sides in terms of transportation and logistics?
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: As a key transportation hub in the Belt and Road Initiative, Belarus is uniquely positioned to contribute to the development of the initiative. Belarus is a vital node of the China-EU liner within the Belt and Road framework, being an essential link between Eurasia, the European Union, and Atlantic ports, as well as an important junction of the Silk Road Economic Belt that connects East and West.
At the same time, Chongqing is an important logistics hub for China’s rail container transport. The first China-Europe (CEU) liner departed from Chongqing, and the total number of CEU liner departures from Chongqing (YuXinOu) now ranks first among all China-Europe routes, making it the most competitive CEU liner brand. Clearly, strengthening our cooperation in logistics is a mutual priority.
In 2024, the volume of containerised rail transport on the China-Europe route passing through Belarus continued to increase, with 56 international container train routes now operating between several Belarusian freight terminals and China. I am confident that, in the future, cooperation between Belarus and Chongqing in logistics will continue to expand.
Looking Forward to Deepening Science and Innovation Cooperation with Chongqing
CQ CURRENTS: In addition to the previously mentioned areas, in what other areas does Belarus and Chongqing have great potential for cooperation?
Dzmitry Yemelyanau: The potential for our cooperation is certainly not limited to the areas of trade and investment. China has the largest number of registered patents in the world and is a recognized leader in innovation. Chongqing, one of China's most important cities, is a model of rapid economic development and digitalization, one of the world's automotive manufacturing centers, and home to many large companies in the chemical, petrochemical, and healthcare industries. Meanwhile, Chongqing's comprehensive science and technology innovation level has ranked first in western China.The Republic of Belarus is interested in cooperation in these areas. We will take the “Year of Science and Technology Innovation 2024-2025” as an opportunity to promote in-depth cooperation between Chongqing and Belarus in the field of science and technology innovation, and in particular, we hope to promote the implementation of joint projects in the Western Science City of Chongqing.
The Republic of Belarus
The Republic of Belarus is located in central Europe and has a total territory of 207,600 square kilometers and a total population of about 9.4 million. The country boasts a long history and ancient traditions, sumptuous ethnic cuisines, magnificent natural landscapes and stunning architecture. With nearly 11,000 lakes in its territory, Belarus is known as the “Land of Lakes”. Thanks to its favorable geographic location, Belarus has become an important node on the Silk Road Economic Belt, as well as an active supporter of the Belt and Road Initiative and an important transit country along the China-Europe rail route.