China, Belarus eye deeper trade cooperation

MINSK -- China and Belarus pledged Tuesday to strengthen communication and expand cooperation in bilateral trade and economy.

The two sides reached several common understandings to deepen communication in trade and economy at the 13th session of the China-Belarus Trade and Economic Cooperation committee, co-chaired by China's Deputy Commerce Minister Jiang Yaoping and Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Tozik.

Both sides acknowledged that Chinese and Belarusian economies are mutually complementary and enjoy a broad prospect for development, vowing to bring bilateral trade and economic cooperation to a new height.

Jiang said cooperation in trade and economy between China and Belarus has developed rapidly in recent years, noting that despite global economic woes, bilateral trade volume grew 28 percent year-on-year from January to August in 2012.

Jiang said China and Belarus have achieved positive results on the construction of cooperative infrastructure projects such as cement plants and fire power stations, adding other cooperative projects are also under way.

Furthermore, entrepreneurs of China and Belarus have begun to invest in each other's country, Jiang said, noting Belarusian businessmen own factories in China's northeastern Harbin city, while a China-Belarus industrial park in the suburb of Belarusian capital Minsk is under construction.

For his part, Tozik said cooperation in investment between his country and China has been developing fast, which would bring greater benefit to both sides, noting the China-Belarus industrial park would play an important role in the modernization of Belarusian economy.

Tozik suggested Belarus and China broaden communication and cooperation in tourism and transportation.

The session was also attended by some 100 government officials and businessmen from both countries.