25 minute read
Regions are ready to be at the forefront
China occupies an exceptional place in our foreign policy; it is, in fact, our main strategic partner in the Asian region. So the level of cooperation between the two countries was outlined by the Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Nikolai Borisevich at the opening ceremony of the Year of Regions of Belarus and China. In 2021-2022, within this global interstate project, dozens of important events are planned to be held. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to the Republic of Belarus Xie XIAOYONG told us why interregional cooperation has become a new growth point in relations between Belarus and China.
– Mr. Ambassador, what is the main goal of the Year of Regions?
Advertisement
– Holding of the Year of Regions of China and Belarus this and next year is an important agreement reached by the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping and the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko during a telephone conversation in January this year. Interregional cooperation is becoming an increasingly important component of the Chinese-Belarusian relations. We are pleased to note that all six regions of Belarus and the city of Minsk have established twinning relations with the provinces and cities of China. The regions of the two countries actively cooperate and exchange in the fields of economy and trade, science and technology, education and culture, medicine and health care and have achieved a number of excellent results, playing an irreplaceable role in the development of business cooperation, cultural exchanges and strengthening friendship between the two countries.
– What events will take place within this global interstate project?
– Within the Year of Regions, China and Belarus are implementing more than 100 different projects of interregional cooperation and exchange with the participation of most of the provinces and cities of China, all 6 regions and the capital of Belarus, as well as the main government departments of the two countries. Planned events include twinning agreements, business meetings of enterprises, economic forums, international exhibitions, scientific and technological innovation forums, cultural festivals, music weeks, photo exhibitions, events promoting traditional medicine, scientific seminars etc.
We have every reason to believe that the regions of the two countries will support the concept of mutual benefit and adhere to the goal of a joint exchange of results, take the opportunity to hold the Year of Regions of China and Belarus to give an even greater impetus to interregional cooperation and make it a new growth point for business cooperation between the two countries, as well as to improve the quality of the ChineseBelarusian relations.
– How can you characterize the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation at this stage? To what extent do communication and exchange of views between the leaders of the two states on a number of key issues contribute to the further deepening of cooperation?
– Thanks to the strategic leadership and personal care of the leaders of the two countries, the Chinese-Belarusian relations are developing dynamically. Friendship grows stronger day by day. Bilateral cooperation in various fields continues to deepen. Both sides build political mutual trust, cooperate closely in international affairs and strongly support each other on issues affecting the fundamental interests and important concerns of our two countries. The Chinese side strongly supports the Belarusian side in protection of its state sovereignty and national dignity, opposes the interference of foreign forces in internal affairs, and respects the development path chosen by the Belarusian people in accordance with their national priorities.
Business cooperation between the two countries has achieved brilliant results, overcoming the challenges of the severe COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic downturn. The overall Chinese-Belarusian trade turnover is impressive: from January to September this year it amounted to $2.809 billion, which is 34.1% more than in the same period last year. New progress has been made in the construction of the China-Belarus Industrial Park, which has become a model project for the Belt and Road Initiative. An impressive cultural and humanitarian cooperation has been established between the two countries. There are six Confucius Institutes founded by China in Belarus and the Chinese Cultural Center in Minsk. The number of international exchange students in both countries is constantly increasing. China-Belarus friendly exchanges are becoming closer and closer.
Anti-epidemic cooperation is very effective. Our countries provide each other with medical assistance and share their experience in fighting the epidemic. The Chinese government has provided Belarus with several batches of anti-COVID-19 vaccines, which gives Belarus a reliable guarantee in the fight against the epidemic and the safety of people, and also reflects the high level of the Chinese-Belarusian relations and deep friendship between the two peoples.
Not so long ago, the First Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus Nikolai Snopkov noted that "in fact, we have already entered a new stage, the decision to strengthen de jure a new level of relations is up to the President of Belarus and the Chairman of the People's Republic of China." I totally agree with that. We have every reason to believe that the quality of the Chinese-Belarusian relations will improve due to a comprehensive strategic partnership, and cooperation in various fields will open up new prospects for development.
– Our countries will soon celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. What is the peculiarity of this time? What are your expectations and vision for the further development of the BelarusianChinese cooperation?
– China is one of the first countries that recognized the independence of Belarus and established diplomatic relations with it. The 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Belarus will be celebrated on January 20 next year. Within this period of time, the ChineseBelarusian relations have stood the test of the rapidly changing international situation, and have also displayed effectiveness and viability from the very beginning to the present.
Political relations are developing dynamically. Over the past 30 years, the number of visits by senior officials of the two countries has exceeded sixty. The President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping twice visited Belarus, met 13 times with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, who visited China or attended events in China 13 times. Both sides have established effective cooperation mechanisms, including the Belarusian-Chinese Intergovernmental Cooperation Committee, closely cooperate in international and regional affairs, protect the common interests of the two countries, and have made important contributions to the strengthening of regional and global peace and security. Mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Belarus is reaching a new level. The volume of bilateral trade has increased 87 times since the establishment of diplomatic relations. Both sides are taking advantage of the opportunity to jointly build "One Belt One Road" for the comprehensive expansion of cooperation in trade, investment, science and technology, infrastructure construction and other areas. China-Belarus Industrial Park "Great Stone" has become the largest foreign facility of this kind created by Chinese companies, and is a symbolic and exemplary project of cooperation between the two countries in the joint construction of "One Belt One Road". BELGEE component assembly project filled the gap in car production in Belarus and helped your country to fulfill its dream of producing its own passenger cars. Chinese electrical appliances have entered thousands of homes in Belarus, and high-quality Belarusian dairy and other agricultural products are very popular with the Chinese.
There is also a noticeable dynamics in the field of cultural and humanitarian exchanges. Both sides created different platforms for effective exchange and established friendly channels for communication between people, successfully organized the Year of Tourism, the Year of Education, "Days of Culture",
"Cinema Weeks", and exhibitions of paintings were held several times. All these events deepened the understanding and cultural integration of the two peoples. In 2018, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Government of the People's Republic of China on a mutual visa-free regime for ordinary passport holders officially entered into force, which directly contributed to cultural and humanitarian exchanges between the two countries. The concept of friendship between China and Belarus, which is passed down from generation to generation, is deeply rooted in the hearts of the peoples of our countries.
Chinese-Belarusian interregional cooperation continues to open up new prospects for development. As relations deepen, more and more Chinese provinces and cities send their delegations to Belarus. Now 33 pairs of twinning relations have been established between cities and regions. During the state visit of the President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping to Belarus in 2015, a Chinese-Belarusian interregional business forum was successfully held in Minsk. The regions and enterprises of the two countries took advantage of this opportunity and signed 25 cooperation documents worth almost $7 billion. The role of interregional cooperation in the study of new models and new projects of cooperation between the two countries is growing day by day. The Year of the Regions of
MLYN.BY
China and Belarus will give a new impetus to the deepening of cooperation between the two countries.
The Chinese-Belarusian anti-epidemic cooperation continues to open up new horizons. Against the backdrop of the protracted and persistent COVID-19 epidemic in these two years, cooperation between China and Belarus in the joint fight against it has become a key area of cooperation between the two countries. In addition to the provision of humanitarian assistance in the form of anti-epidemic materials and vaccines, as well as the exchange of experience in combating the epidemic, which I have just told you about, there are two other important aspects of the Chinese-Belarusian cooperation in this area. The first is to support scientifically grounded research into the origins of the virus and jointly counter the politicization of the problem. In response to the US political manipulation under the pretext of investigation of the virus origins and its encouragement and the use of explorationbased research into the origin of the virus, Belarus has repeatedly publicly declared its opposition to the politicization of the virus through such means as sending a letter to the WHO Director General and a public statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It has repeatedly publicly declared its opposition to politicization of the issue of research into the origin of the virus, and together with China strongly defended the global cooperation of scientifically based research into the origin of the virus and the world cohesion in the fight against the epidemic.
The second important point is cooperation in the development of traditional Chinese medicine drugs that have good efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19. In August this year, the Chinese company Novaera Biotech and the Center for Examinations and Tests in Health Service of the Republic of Belarus signed a cooperation agreement, taking the first step in the joint development and production of special drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 by China and Belarus. Now, with support and assistance of the Chinese Embassy and the Ministry of Health, the Qingyi capsule developed by this company, which has good efficacy in the treatment of COVID-19, has already received state registration of the drug and a production permit issued by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Belarus, and is also presented in China in the fourth Chinese international import EXPO in Shanghai. We hope that in the near future the production of Qingyi capsules will be launched in the China-Belarus Industrial Park and will make an active contribution to the fight against the epidemic in Belarus and neighboring countries.
The reason the Chinese-Belarusian relations have acquired such a solid vitality in the 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations is that their development meets the fundamental interests of the two peoples and the long-term needs of China and Belarus for stability and development, and has also brought tangible benefits to both parties. Over the past 30 years, we have witnessed great achievements in the economic and social development and state building of the two countries, as well as the stable development of Chinese-Belarusian relations. Over the course of 30 years, our countries have become really close brothers, good partners whose cooperation brings mutual benefit, and have become good friends who often visit each other. We have every reason to believe that the peoples of China and Belarus will continue to walk hand in hand and usher in the next golden stage in bilateral relations.
– Mr. Ambassador, we know that you have been working in Belarus for a whole year and have done a great job to deepen the Belarusian-Chinese cooperation. However, due to the epidemic and other reasons, you probably did not have the opportunity to visit different parts of Belarus. If the opportunity presents itself, what places in our country would you like to visit the most?
– Yes, time spins away, in a flash a year has passed since I came to work in Belarus. During this year, we, together with Belarusian friends from all circles, actively cooperated and worked, witnessed the concerted efforts of the two countries in the international arena, the active development of the Chinese-Belarusian trade and economic cooperation, despite negative global trends, and sincere mutual assistance and mutual support of the two peoples during the epidemic.
For me, the past year has been a significant one. I learned even more about Belarus, I have more friends. Belarus is a wonderful country with a unique historical and cultural heritage. The Belarusian people are hardworking, wise, very welcoming and friendly. I am very interested in learning more about this country and its people. I sincerely hope that in the near future I will have the opportunity to visit all 6 regions and large cities of Belarus, personally witness new successes, new events and positive changes in the Belarusian society, economy and people's life, as well as get acquainted with local residents and special Belarusian traditions.
In conclusion, I would like to congratulate a large number of Belarusian friends and also wish fraternal Belarus and its friendly people prosperity and a happy life!
JUSTARRIVED.BY
Nikolay Litvinov
Petr Dubrov, Anton Shkaplerov, Yulia Peresild, Klim Shipenko and Oleg Novitskiy
VK.COM/ANTON_ASTREY
Cosmonauts and their roles
On board the International Space Station a fiction film "Challenge" was shot in which cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Oleg Novitskiy, our fellow countrymen, played their roles.
"The history of space cinema" is being created before our eyes and with the direct participation of our compatriots. Undoubtedly, the first ever film project with filming in spaceships on the ISS aroused great interest in the world. Once again, space issues were put into, so to speak, high orbit of public interest. And while the Russian film crew – actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko – bask in glory, its gleams illuminate cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Oleg Novitskiy, who, by the way, played their roles in the feature film "Challenge". After all, the former, as we know, headed the "film expedition" in the ISS, helped the actress and the director at an accelerating pace within three months to prepare for flight and work in space from scratch, and then he himself delivered the group to orbit. There was information that Shkaplerov will play the role of cosmonaut Anton in the film. Apparently, the commander of Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft, Oleg Novitskiy, also starred in the film. Thanks to him, the film crew successfully returned from orbit, landed on October 17 in the region of Kazakhstan's Dzhezkazgan.
The film crew of the News Agency Belteleradiocompany – correspondent Svetlana Karulskaya and cameraman Vitaly Motin – were nearby when Oleg Novitskiy was removed from the launcher. This time the native of Cherven spent 191 days in orbit, and at his request, his fellow Belarusians were included in a search expedition on Earth, which was allowed to see the cosmonaut in the first minutes after his return from orbit. There is an exclusive ATN report on the internet. Oleg
Novitskiy is undergoing rehabilitation, and in December he promised to come home to Belarus.
As for Shkaplerov, he went into space for the fourth time, on October 5: as the commander of Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft, a film expedition companion and the hero of the film. His work on the ISS continues as part of the 66th long-term expedition. If everything goes according to the plan, Anton Nikolaevich will celebrate his 50th birthday on February 20, 2022 there. By the way, he participated in the 31st International Congress of the Association of Space Flight Participants, which was held in Minsk in September 2018. While meeting the students of the Faculty of Biology of the Belarusian State University, which we, journalists attended, he said the following about himself: "Do not hesitate to say that you are Belarusians. I tell everyone: I am not Russian – I am a citizen of Russia, but I’m Belarusian." He also named the small homeland of his ancestors – the village of Kipyachi, Bykhov district, Mogilev region. His father was born there. By the way, cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev is now in the cosmonaut team. He, like Anton Shkaplerov, is a Belarusian, native of Druya, Verkhnedvinsk district, Vitebsk region. Inga Likhtarovich
Without "blank spot" in our memory
A large grave of the Great Patriotic War-era was found near Minsk. Despite the fact that the search season of the 52nd separate specialized search battalion of the Ministry of Defense is coming to an end, the military units still have a lot of work to do. Recently, in the forest 9 kilometers from Minsk, near the former Uruchye tract, a large burial ground of the Great Patriotic War-era has been found. According to preliminary estimates, more than 38,000 people were buried in several mass graves – Red Army prisoners of war, underground fighters, partisans, civilians...
TThe exact number of the dead will be calculated by experts. In the near future, the actions of the invaders will be given a legal assessment – in the spring the Prosecutor General's Office initiated a formal investigation into the genocide of the Belarusian people during the Great Patriotic War and in the post-war period.
Forgotten funeral
Excavations are currently underway in one of seven (according to preliminary data) burials. Experts say that only one pit can contain the remains of more than 8,000 people. It has already been established that they were killed by headshots. People tried to get out of the pit – as evidenced by the location of the remains. However, a control shot from above awaited them... Throughout the entire period of the occupation, brutal massacres of people took place here. – We thought that our predecessors had done enough to establish memorial sites associated with the events of the Great Patriotic War, to honor the memory of the places of mass executions of the Belarusian people, – Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said during his visit to the excavations. – Indeed, a lot of work has been done, but the scale of this tragedy is so great that, probably, over all the post-war years, the Soviet Union era and the time of independent Belarus, we could not achieve hundred-percent results, and taking into account new facts and circumstances that are constantly unfolding, it will take many more years.
The head of the government said that all the established burial places of the Great Patriotic War will be immortalized. On the 9th kilometer of Moscow highway, an obelisk was erected in memory of those killed at this place. However, today very few people have heard of it, and when they see the monument, they hardly associate it with a huge mass grave, in which tens of thousands of innocent citizens are buried.
And by the way, this place cannot be called little-known. The place of mass execution was identified by the Extraordinary Commission for the Investigation of the Nazi invaders crimes in the BSSR immediately after the war. There were no excavations and, as a result, no estimation of the dead: all human and material resources were used for the restoration of almost completely destroyed Minsk, for the revival of Belarus.
Justice will soon be restored: every Belarusian, as well as guests of our country, will learn that people were killed near Minsk and in the capital, and not only in Trostenets, Masyukovschina, Drozdy... A mass killing was committed there, just outside the Minsk Ring Road, not far from Uruchye microdistrict. In the near future, the memory of those who rest here will be immortalized. A new memorial could be installed.
680 names have been identified
The findings, which, together with the remains, were picked up by the soldiers of the 52nd battalion, testify only to one thing: the people who are buried in a large mass grave, like everyone else, really wanted to live. It is hardly possible that many people realized that they were being taken to the execution. Cutlery, plates, coins, belts, boots, buttons, a hairbrush – these are the belongings that have remained of the murdered innocent people. Bullets – large, covered with rust – that killed thousands of people, have also survived... These horrific finds, which undoubtedly confirm the fact of genocide of the population of our country, will be attached to the materials of the criminal case by the prosecutor's office
Representatives of the Ministry of Defense are directly involved in the investigation. The 52nd Separate Special Search Battalion is a unique military unit that has been making a valuable contribution to the preservation of memory for 26 years. No one, except for these servicemen, in our country has the right to engage in search activities. Due to the fact that more and more unaccounted burials are being identified, the number of search teams of the Ministry of Defense will increase. "In the last five years alone, the battalion's servicemen have worked at more than 500 sites, where the remains of 13,781 people were found," – said the Defense Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin. – All were reburied with military honors. 680 names of the missing have been identified. Our task is to preserve the memory of the courage and heroism of the unconquered people, of the terrible crimes that were committed on our land. Today, the distortion of historical facts has actually become a weapon against our country.
Criminals will be brought to responsibility
For the military there will be enough work near Uruchye tract for the next search seasons. Excavations will continue until all the circumstances of what happened there during the war are revealed. – Additional information has been received, according to which extermination of civilians, in addition to regular troops of Wehrmacht and SS, were carried out by numerous collaborationist formations, consisting of nationalists of Latvia, Lithuania, soldiers of the so-called army of Kraina and Ukrainian nationalists, – said the Deputy Prosecutor General Aleksey Stuk. – Regular troops ordered these formations to kill civilians and participate in punitive operations. Unfortunately, this mood has also been passed on to the modern political elite of these countries. Sometimes we are denied legal assistance in this criminal case, in the extradition of certain persons. Lithuania and Latvia have already done this.
At the same time, the Russian Federation is actively helping in the investigation, i.e. we are provide with archival documents and other data, as well as legal assistance. The task of the specialists is to establish all the facts of the crimes of the Nazi invaders and their accomplices on the territory of Belarus, as well as to find those responsible for their commission.
The ground was still moving...
The investigation of the criminal case received a response from the population. People report to law enforcement agencies on the events that they witnessed. Those who know about the crimes of the invaders from eyewitnesses share their information.
One of them is Vasily Chernov, who showed the approximate location of the burial ground where excavations are underway. More than 20 years ago, he learned about this terrible tragedy near Minsk from a person who was a witness to one of the shootings. Together with his mother and younger brother, they were returning home from the forest, when suddenly they heard
shots and shouts. They hid under a nut tree and stayed there until it got dark. In the morning, the children wondered what had happened the day before in the forest. When they returned, they saw a hole covered with sand. The ground was still moving...
Many states have joined the investigation, and the law enforcement agencies of our country and the State Forensic Examination Committee have joined their effort to restore justice. Historians work fruitfully in the archives. The deputies also reacted to the initiative of the Prosecutor General's Office. The parliament is preparing a bill on the recognition of the genocide of the Belarusian people. – Today we are responsible for establishing, including at the legislative level, the fact of genocide against the Belarusian people, residents of other nationalities living in the BSSR, – said Lilia Ananich, Deputy Chairperson of the Permanent Commission on Human Rights, National Relations and Mass Media of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly. – Today we, Belarusians, cannot tolerate distortion of historical memory and denial of this sinister fact even in someone's mind. Why is this needed in a global context? The recognition of the genocide of the Belarusian people, in our opinion, is the most important step towards strengthening of the legal architecture of this historical memory. Today we must take these legal steps and prove, at all levels, at all venues, our right to preserve historical memory.
Veronika Kanyuta
Time for bold innovations
The fact that large-scale digitalization, automation and robotization of production will increase the competitiveness of the Belarusian economy in the world market was actively asserted during the II Interregional Forum Smart Industry Expo
PPerhaps no one would argue that the rapid development of digital technologies is changing our daily reality. The Internet has become the main platform for communication, work, education, business building and management. Of course, Belarusian scientists, engineers, designers, programmers are actively involved in these processes. Moreover, the digitalization of the real sector of the economy, the development of information technology is one of the strategic goals of the current five-year plan.
Chairperson of the State Committee for Science and Technology Alexander Shumilin, who participated in the forum, drew attention to the fact that the country is actively working on the development of production automation, the introduction of advanced digital technologies and smart solutions for industry.
But in his opinion, in the near future it is necessary to work out the projects that provide for the optimization of existing business processes and their transformation based on new forms of interaction between participants in economic relations, to make it possible for various parties to interact with each other, including online. In accordance with one of the decrees of the head of state, the first priority direction of scientific, research-engineering and innovative activities for 2021-2025 is digital information and communication and interdisciplinary technologies, production based thereon, including the development of information and control systems, artificial intelligence and robotics. To achieve this goal, the state program "Digital Development of Belarus" until 2025 was adopted. One of the directions of this program, in particular, provides for the development and implementation of the digital platform of the Ministry of Industry and the implementation of the Industry 4.0 concept.
Other state scientific and technical programs are also being implemented, e.g. "Digital Technologies and Robotic Complexes" and "Intelligent Instrumentation", which are used for the development and implementation of information technologies in the industry. For example, in the field of precision agriculture, monitoring of industrial equipment, engineering cooperation systems, a lot is already being done on the basis of digital interaction and computer-assisted design technologies. Besides, the state program for innovative development of Belarus for 2021-2025, envisaged implementation of a number of projects in the field of robotization and digitalization. In particular, at Novopolotsk Plant of Technological Steel Structures, it is planned to soon introduce a technology for the production of steel structures with multisystem integration of processes based on the Industry 4.0 concept. This technology will be based on the automated system for the production of workpieces with the function of drilling, milling and plasma cutting in conjunction with a 3D modeling system. In Vitebsk region, it is planned to build a digitalized plant for the production of innovative veterinary drugs with the introduction of world approaches to the design, control and management of production. – In the near future, we plan to carry out a significant modernization of the manufacturing sector through the widespread use of software and equipment based on artificial intelligence technologies, 3D printing, robotic systems and complexes, which will allow to introduce a new type of intersectoral paradigm into the country's industry – a smart industry, – said Alexander Shumilin. – And an indicator of our successful work will be at least 15 percent share of the digital economy in the country's GDP in 2025.
The II Interregional specialized forum for the smartization of the real sector of the economy "Smart Industry Expo" was held in Minsk in an online format. Its main goal was the exchange of the world's best practices and solutions in the field of digital transformation of production and the expansion of advanced digital technologies in the national production sector.
And there is the news that came from Pakistan and which also deals with the theme of innovation. To be more precise, at the International Industrial Exhibition "International Trade and Industry Fair" in Karachi, Belarusian scientists have
already presented about 60 of their scientific, technical and innovative developments. Besides, during the exhibition, a Belarusian-Pakistani business forum was held with presentation of innovations of Belarusian participants, as well as bilateral meetings and negotiations with representatives of governmental authorities and business community in Pakistan.
As you can see, these are very conspicuous facts. They indicate that today the Belarusian scientific community has something to present as the best innovative practices, even of the world level. Alexey Fedosov
