The Belt and Road Initiative Brings More Cooperation Opportunities

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) offers investment projects and is interested in a predictable partner that links BRI with European Union and Commonwealth of Independence States (CIS) markets.

Belarus is a good choice that can offer China not only the linking transport gateway with the EU and the CIS countries, favorable conditions for infrastructure investments through Eurasian Economic Union, the Customs Union and the Common Free Market Zone with capacity of 170 million people, but also due to the current political events in Belarus, is able to preserve peace and economic advantages for investors and tackle negative external influence.

The support of Russia gives hope of deeper integration within the Union which will provide even more advantageous conditions for BRI such as the complete removal of legal obstacles to free movement of people and goods and growth of benefits from better infrastructure, technology transfer, cheaper consumer goods and industrial inputs. Currently more than 100 million tons of goods transit through Belarus every year, which supports a large transport sector accounting for 6 percent of its GDP.

Cooperation between China and Belarus is diversified, ranging from economy – with the launching of a large industrial park “The Great Stone”, to defense and humanitarian sphere: education and culture. There are also smaller initiatives, for example the opening of traditional Chinese medical centers and restaurants aimed at support of Chinese citizens living in Belarus.

The Belt and Road Initiative creates the strong platform for further bilateral cooperation of China and Belarus in culture. Successful development of cooperation can be noted in museum and librarian business and education.

Close cooperation of Belarusian and Chinese education institutions has resulted in over 20 joint university education programs and over 10 post-graduation university education programs. Belarusian and Chinese universities have signed over 400 agreements on cooperation, with 32 agreements signed in 2019. The legal base of cooperation was expanded with an intergovernmental agreement on the mutual recognition of academic certificates and academic degrees.

There is great demand for technical specialists not only with excellent expertise in their field but with fluent Chinese.

Belarusian students are interested in joint education programs, such as Digital economy, Commerce, Big Data management, Technological innovations: Robotics, IT, Petroleum engineering, International communications: Chinese business, tourism management, Journalism and communications.

The two countries are planning to establish the Silk Road Academy, a center of knowledge about China in Belarus. Belarusian National Technical University in association with the Confucius Institute on Science and Technology operating at the university’s premises has implemented an ambitious project to compile a Russian-Chinese-English dictionary of technical terms during the Year of Education of Belarus in China.

Besides the establishing six Confucius Institutes in Minsk, Brest and Gomel, China makes profound effort to introduce Belarusian citizens to ancient and diverse Chinese culture.

Due to the agreements signed with Belarusian state entities was set the successful work on consolidation of direct contacts among organizations of the two countries, development of interaction between the national libraries, the national museums of art, education establishments in the field of arts and humanities. On permanent basis is organized the exchange of museum expositions and exhibitions dedicated to modern fine art, as well as handover of books on art and science.

Chinese audience also has the opportunity to appreciate high professional skills of Belarusian artists including the Honored Dance Ensemble of Belarus, actors of the National Academic Bolshoi Theater of Opera of the Republic of Belarus, the Belarusian State Honored Choreographic Ensemble “Khoroshki”, The National Academic Folk Orchestra named after I. Zhinovich, etc.

Citizens of two states welcome the annual festivals – Days of National Culture – are a most interesting form of cultural cooperation between Belarus and China which are held twice a year and have become traditional and significant events in the cultural life of Belarus and China.

China and Belarus through festivals, Years of education and tourism not only develop cooperation between museum, theatric, education and academic entities but also resolve issues of further economic cooperation.

It is also important to use soft power to popularize the vision of China that stands for the values of peace, mutual development and cooperation. It is very important now to address to young Belarusian citizens that perceive the reality through modern rock music, sport, ecological issues and creative approach where they could reveal their personality, show others their strong public attitude. The best way is to support Belorussian public complex initiatives that include art, sport, ecology and history.

We should also not forget schoolchildren and students motivating them to study by urging them to participate in contests in mathematics, exact Sciences and Olympiads on programming.

Sergei Lusch is head of Association of Integration Assistance and International Sociocultural and Business cooperation, Belarus.