A photo exhibition celebrating the 30th anniversary of China-Belarus diplomatic relations and the opening ceremony of Chongqing-Minsk TV week launched at the Chongqing World Financial Center on Jan. 24. Organized by the Consulate General of Belarus in Chongqing and supported by the Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) of Chongqing Municipal People’s Government and People’s Government of Yuzhong District. Monday’s event presented the history of the China-Belarus friendship and looked forward to deeper cooperation between the two countries in the future.
Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Mr. Xie Xiaoyong, Belarusian Ambassador to China Mr. Yuri Senko, and Governor of Minsk Oblast Mr. Alexander Turchin delivered video remarks congratulating the convening of the event.
Foreign and Chongqing officials gather at the Photo Exhibition Marking the 30th Anniversary of China-Belarus Diplomatic Relations and the Opening Ceremony of Chongqing-Minsk TV Week on Jan. 24, 2022.
“Against the backdrop of continuous development of friendly China-Belarus relations, Chongqing and Belarus have carried out extensive exchanges and cooperation in various sectors leveraging China-Europe Railway Express,” said Ms. Zhang Ling, Vice Chairwoman of the CPPCC Chongqing Municipal Committee, during her remarks at the event.
“The cooperation between our two countries has been lifted from a friendly cooperative relationship to a ‘comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual trust and win-win cooperation,” said Mr. Dzmitry Yemelyanau, the Republic of Belarus Consul-General in Chongqing, who delivered congratulatory speeches on behalf of the government of Belarus.
During the Jan. 20 bilateral talk between President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, President Xi pointed out that taking this year’s anniversary as an opportunity to promote China-Belarus comprehensive strategic partnership and strengthen Belt and Road cooperation. “This has charted the course and guided deeper and friendly interactions between Chongqing and Belarus in all respects,” Ms. Zhang said, who spoke highly of Mr. Yemelyanau for his efforts promoting Chongqing-Belarus engagement since the establishment of the Consulate-General of Belarus last January.
Mr. Dzmitry Yemelyanau, Consul-General of Belarus in Chongqing, introduces the photo exhibition to Ms. Zhang Ling, Vice Chairwoman of the CPPCC Chongqing Municipal Committee, on Jan.24, 2022.
The photo exhibition showcased the history and development of diplomatic exchanges between China and Belarus over the past three decades, ranging from the first visit of Belarusian President Lukashenko to China in 1991, President Xi’s visit to China-Belarus Great Stone Industrial Park in Minsk in 2015, to the arrival of Chinese anti-epidemic supplies for Belarus in 2020.
“The 30-year-old historic relations between Belarus and China is a fine example to show how in some aspects, we have even succeeded to achieve impossible outcomes,” said Mr. Yemelyanau. “It’s worth mentioning that Chongqing plays an essential role in the development of Belarus-China ties. Chongqing has often offered humanitarian assistance to its sister region Minsk during Covid-19.”
After a year of collaboration with various departments in Chongqing and Belarus, the International Channel of Chongqing Broadcasting Group team has completed the translation and post-production of the five-episode documentary Belarus in My Eyes to introduce tourism to the country. The documentary will be aired on several CQTV channels starting Jan. 24, reaching over 1.2 billion Chinese audiences, according to Mr. Huang Xiang, vice president of CBG, who also attended the opening ceremony.
“We’ve spent a whole year handpicking the footage for the documentary tailored to the preferences of Chongqing’s audience,” Mr. Yemelyanau said. “This opening ceremony is significant to us in the sense that it represents a major collaboration between the two nations in the media industry.”
“Chongqing Broadcasting Group will take this opportunity to strengthen the cooperation with the Belarusian counterparts,” Mr. Huang said, suggesting a plan to produce TV programs promoting Chongqing. “Chongqing TV Week will be held in Minsk sometime after the pandemic. I hope those programs will attract more Belarusian audience to know about Chongqing and fall for it.”
Dzmitry Yemelyanau, Consul-General of the Republic of Belarus in Chongqing, gives remarks on Jan. 24, 2022.
Besides the 30th anniversary of China-Belarus diplomatic relations, 2022 also marks the second Belarus-China Year of Regions and the 5th anniversary of the friendly ties between Chongqing and Minsk. Ms. Zhang stated that Chongqing is ready to deepen and expand cooperation with Belarus, especially areas such as leveraging industrial resources such as Great Stone Industrial Park and Chongqing Pilot Free Trade Zone, facilitating collaboration on transport and logistics using China-Europe Railway Express, enhancing people-to-people affinity by speeding up to build “Belarus Town,” etc.
Other attendees at Monday’s event included Consul-General of Japan in Chongqing Tanaka Mari, Philippine Consul-General in Chongqing Flerida Ann Camille P. Mayo, Hungarian Consul-General in Chongqing Kadar Gergely, Dutch Consul-General in Chongqing Huub Buise, and acting Consul-General of Italy in Chongqing Adriana Lori.