Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 15, 2022. [Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan]

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday afternoon met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand.

The two presidents decided to upgrade the bilateral relationship to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership.

Xi underscored that since China and Belarus established diplomatic relations 30 years ago, the relations between the two countries have been continuously strengthened and upgraded, with solid progress in all-round cooperation.

The upgrading of China-Belarus relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership is a historic leap in bilateral relations, Xi said.

China is ready to work with Belarus to increase mutual political support, unleash the potential of cooperation in various fields, promote greater progress in China-Belarus relations and deliver more benefits to the two peoples, he added.

Xi stressed that China highly commends the firm support Belarus has always given China on issues concerning China's core interests. China firmly supports Belarus in taking a development path suited to its national conditions and opposes external forces' interference in Belarus' domestic affairs under any pretext.

China is ready to work with Belarus to promote the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and Global Security Initiative, and safeguard international fairness and justice, Xi said.

China will maintain close exchanges with Belarus, carry out mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation in investment, economy and trade and other fields, and develop a green, smart, eco-friendly and digitally advanced China-Belarus Industrial Park, he said.

The two sides need to continue to make the year of China-Belarus local cooperation a success and carry out joint training of university talents. China will continue to provide support and assistance to Belarus in its COVID-19 response, he said.

Lukashenko said for many countries including Belarus, China is a highly reliable partner. The upgrade of Belarus-China relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership is fully aligned with the strong growth and potential needs of bilateral relations.

Belarus is unswervingly committed to deepening relations with China. Belarus firmly supports China's development and growth of strength, China's national reunification and China's position on core issues such as Taiwan-related issues, Lukashenko said.

Belarus will always stand shoulder to shoulder with China and be its most reliable friend. The Belarusian side is ready to learn more from China's successful development experience, and strengthen bilateral practical cooperation across the board, he said.

Belarus supports a series of important initiatives put forward by China, and hopes to closely cooperate with China within multilateral frameworks such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Lukashenko wished the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a full success.

After the meeting, the two sides issued the joint statement on establishing all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Belarus and signed cooperation documents in such areas as science and technology, judiciary, agriculture and e-commerce.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other officials attended the meeting. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 15, 2022. [Xinhua/Zhai Jianlan]

(Source: Xinhua)