By Andrei Krivosheev: Today, the President of Belarus presented Belarus’ initiatives and projects at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit that is taking place in Qingdao, China.
This year, the summit is focusing on an IT ecosystem, food security for nearly half the world's population, a new strategic partnership in Eurasia on nuclear safety, and the use of peaceful nuclear energy.
The Official Minsk is the westernmost capital of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the key gateway to the New Belt of the Great Silk Road, while the Belarusian-Chinese Great Stone industrial park is its high-tech "pearl" – hence, the special attention to Belarus in the SCO.
In fact, as an observer, Belarus participates in formulating a common agenda and promotes initiatives as a full participant.
It is interesting that both the Chinese leader and the majority of the summit participants designated free trade as a matter of national and regional security. An important element here is food security. The President of Belarus offers his first initiative in the format of Shanghai cooperation. Alexander Lukashenko stands for closer economic cooperation. Belarus is already promoting this strategy in the Eurasian Union, and through the Great Stone industrial park, and in its bilateral agreements.
The next topical point is cybersecurity. On the one hand we have the rapid digitalization of the country, but on the other there’s the vulnerability of information systems and all the key institutions of the state. And in this sphere, Belarus in Qingdao offers a concrete solution.
The third initiative of the President of Belarus in Qingdao is the issue of nuclear safety issues and the use of the peaceful atom in a separate direction of the Shanghai partnership. The new SCO members – India and Pakistan – are in the nuclear club. Also, Iran is under colossal pressure because of its nuclear programme. Belarus itself finally enters the club of elite energy technologies with the launch of its first reactor. Undoubtedly, the Shanghai security and development framework is necessary more than ever.
Also, as a result of the two dozens of documents signed at the summit, the General Declaration and the Development Strategy of the Organization, as well as the concept of food security, and the plan for protecting the information space are linked with the initiatives of Belarus. This is the unified Shanghai point of view on the future architecture of the world.
Among other things, the Belarus-China strategic friendship was also underscored by several agreements. The first one was persistently pursued since the mid-1990s – a visa-free regime with China for up to 30 days.
By the way, at the Summit, other partners voiced proposal only about a visa-free regime for business, but also for business cooperation, tourism, and education.
Another key agreement between Belarus and China is in the super-biotechnology industry. It is an agreement on financing the second and final stage of the project near Rudensk. These are complex feedstuffs that ensure direct import substitution and promote Belarus’ export potential and the most modern biotechnologies in the country.
