China's Xi Welcomes Belarus President, a Key Putin Ally

"Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Moscow's closest ally, sought to cement the partnership between their nations as Minsk seeks more help for its sanctions-hit economy, while endorsing Beijing's efforts to cast itself as a peacemaker in the Ukraine events.

Belarus and China have called for an end to the fighting in Ukraine, but neither has pressed Russia to withdraw. A Chinese position paper on Ukraine last week urged peace talks, but criticized the use of unilateral sanctions and reliance on military blocs, an apparent reference to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's support for Kyiv.

On Wednesday, while sitting down for talks with Mr. Xi, Mr. Lukashenko praised Beijing's efforts on Ukraine and stated his commitment to support China's proposal on international security, which he has called a "new and original initiative that will have far-reaching effects in the world."

"China and Belarus are joint defenders of international fairness and justice," Mr. Xi said, according to Chinese state TV.

U.S. and European Union officials have criticized China's call for talks, saying it isn't acting as a neutral party. But Beijing will be happy to tout support from elsewhere, and Mr. Lukashenko's comments could resonate in other countries, where views toward events are more mixed, analysts said.

"It will look good from an internal-propaganda point of view, but also in terms of the Global South, where Lukashenko is not viewed so badly as he is in Europe," said Jakub Jakobowski, a China researcher and deputy director of the Center for Eastern Studies in Warsaw.

Mr. Lukashenko traveled to Beijing for a three-day trip as Secretary of State Antony Blinken was visiting Central Asia, where the U.S. is attempting to build ties with ex-Soviet states and dissuade them from helping Russia circumvent Western sanctions.

Mr. Lukashenko, who two years ago signed a series of agreements with Moscow that left him deeply dependent on the Kremlin, is a key supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin's effort. He has allowed Russian forces to use Belarus. But Mr. Lukashenko has said he wouldn't commit his country's military to the fight unless Belarus itself was attacked.

Mr. Lukashenko told Mr. Xi on Wednesday that Belarus is interested in deepening cooperation with China in the sphere of technological development. He proposed the creation of joint ventures in the sphere of machine tools, electric transport and the production of parts for agricultural machinery in both countries.

Belarus needs China's economic help to help ease the sanctions pressure, said analysts who follow Belarusian foreign policy.

"You can send Belarusian products there that no longer go to Western markets," said Alexei Dzermant, a political analyst affiliated with the Center for the Study and Development of Continental Integration Northern Eurasia, a think tank in Belarus.” [1]

It seems that Mr. Lukashenko is a smart and gifted leader that cares about his country, organizes beneficial collaboration with world factory - China. Every European leader does the same, just look at Mr. Scholz of Germany. Except Lithuania. We have lazy and  hopeless nepotistic Landsbergis who is lost in ideological nonsense encountered online. Landsbergis ruined Lithuanian relationship with world factory. Nausėda, Lithuanian President, is just big pretty baby that cannot do or understand anything at all.

1. World News: China's Xi Welcomes Belarus President, a Key Putin Ally
Austin Ramzy; Simmons, Ann M.  Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition; New York, N.Y. [New York, N.Y]. 02 Mar 2023: A.9.