Consul general hails deepened Sino-Belarusian ties
Print Edition
WHEN Valeriy Matsel visited Shanghai in 1988 as a member of a former Soviet Union delegation of scientists, his trip included a visit to the Bund. One of the city’s top officials pointed across the Huangpu River toward the opposite shore — which, at the time, contained little more than rice paddies — and proclaimed that one day it would be the most prestigious place in the city, if not in all of China.
“Look at it now,” Matsel, now the Belarusian consul general in Shanghai, tells Shanghai Daily. “This year, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of Pudong. And it truly has been the most splendid miracle in China’s economic development!”
Having worked at the Belarus embassy in Beijing between 1996 and 2000 and then from 2007 to 2011, Matsel returned to Shanghai in 2013 to take up his current post.
“I like Shanghai for its dynamic life, modern architecture and green parks. But what is most important are its citizens — good-natured, responsive, cultured and ready to help in difficult situations,” he adds.
Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Belarus in May. According to reports, the trip’s focus was to deepen China-Belarus relations as well as address international and regional topics of interest to both countries.
During the visit, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said that his country is ready to take part in implementing China’s “One Belt One Road” strategy — shorthand for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, two wide-reaching trade development and infrastructure financing plans inspired by the historic Silk Road. Lukashenko added that he hoped Belarus would become a launching pad for large-scale projects in Eurasia and encouraged China to consider using Belarus as a key hub in related plans.
“The basis of Belarusian-Chinese relations is bilateral trade and investment cooperation,” the consul general explains.
Trade in goods and services between the two countries reached US$4.2 billion in 2014, up 3.8 percent year-on-year, statistics show. Meanwhile, China has also issued about US$5.5 billion in credit support for investment projects in Belarus.
The China-Belarus Industrial Park, covering 91.5 square kilometers, will focus on developing electronics, biomedicine, fine chemistry, high-end manufacturing, logistics storage and other industries. Belarus and China have agreed to build the park into a model project in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt, which connects Asia with Europe.
“Now the two countries are moving toward a transition from credit cooperation to investment partnership,” Matsel says. “Development of mutually beneficial trade, the creation of joint ventures and the realization of joint investment projects with China are important prerequisites for the growth of Belarus’s export-oriented economy.”
During President Xi’s visit, about 50 bilateral documents, including a friendship agreement and a joint declaration, were signed. The declaration was a comprehensive document meant to guide bilateral cooperations over future years.
“It will boost bilateral cooperation in various fields,” says the consul general, explaining that most of his duties are focused on bilateral trade and investment projects.
According to Matsel, the first benefits of closer bilateral relations with China are expected to be in construction and the economic modernization of Belarus. Other areas to benefit include interbank interactions and technology. Projects facilitating export of Belarusian products into China are also expected to boost the country’s job market.
Currently, major exports from Belarus to China include potash and nitrogen fertilizers, chemical products, combines, flax fiber, wood, integrated microchips and lasers, as well as dry milk products. The main imports from China are modern equipment including computers, power equipment, petro chemistry products and manufacturing components.
“China is our main political, trade and economic partner in Asia,” Matsel says. “We will continue to improve, strengthen and extend Belarusian-Chinese relations in trade, investment and humanitarian spheres.”
With previous work experience in China, Matsel has helped push forward several projects since his arrival in Shanghai in 2013, in addition to supporting Belarusians in the city.
In April 2014, Matsel helped establish an association for Belarusian and Soviet scholars returning from Shanghai. In 2014 and into 2015, the consulate general office in Shanghai also intensified efforts to promote regional relations between Shanghai and Belarus.
“Shanghai, as the main economic center of China, plays an important role in developing Belarusian-Chinese cooperation. That is why in April 2009 Shanghai was chosen as the location for the consulate general’s office,” he concludes.
The office has also contributed to building cooperations between Belarus and Shanghai in scientific and technical fields, establishing ties between the State Committee on Science and Technology in Belarus and the Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission. Later in the year, a delegation from the Shanghai commission is slated to visit Belarus in order to sign a bilateral memorandum of mutual understanding and collaboration.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
