Belarusian Defence Minister on Working Visit to the People’s Republic of China

Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, has arrived in the People’s Republic of China on a working visit.

The head of the Belarusian Defence Ministry was welcomed by Alexander Chervyakov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the People’s Republic of China, and Major General Li Ning, Political Commissar.

Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin will participate in the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on security issues.

On the sidelines of the forum, the Belarusian Defence Minister is scheduled to hold meetings with his counterparts, including the heads of the defence ministries of China, Azerbaijan and other countries. The meetings will address the current state and prospects of bilateral military cooperation, as well as topical issues on the regional and international agenda.

***

During a meeting, Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin outlined a number of key issues concerning cooperation between Belarus and China in the military sphere:

“We have actively begun cooperation in the field of peacekeeping. In this regard, I would like to express my gratitude for the invitation to participate in peacekeeping courses. We will certainly take part in them, which will enable our officers to gain valuable experience from the Chinese side in this area.”

Among the key issues discussed by the defence ministers of the two countries was cooperation in the training of military personnel:

“The agreements reached in June on the training of Chinese service personnel at the Military Academy of the Republic of Belarus demonstrated the trust placed in us and represented high recognition of the Belarusian military education system.

For our part, we are ready to expand the range of specialisations in response to the specific requests of our Chinese friends,” Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin said.

The defence ministers of Belarus and China also reviewed the results of joint combat training activities and analysed promising areas of cooperation.

In turn, Admiral Dong Jun, Minister of Defence of the People’s Republic of China, noted:

“We need to unlock the potential for cooperation in new areas. The forms of armed confrontation have changed. Technology is playing an increasingly important role in the military sphere, creating both challenges and opportunities. We can work together to focus on developing new-quality forces in order to achieve further progress.”

The Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus confirmed his interest in deepening the exchange of experience in this area.

***

Another meeting took place on the sidelines of the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, once again in a more friendly than formal atmosphere. Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus, held talks with Colonel General Hasanov Zakir Asgar oglu, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

During the meeting, Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin confirmed the Belarusian side’s readiness to implement the agreements reached during the official visit of the First Deputy Minister of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army.

The heads of the defence ministries also exchanged views on developments in the military and political situation and discussed intensifying cooperation on matters of mutual interest.

***

Today, on the sidelines of the 13th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on security issues, at the initiative of the Iranian side, Minister of Defence of the Republic of Belarus Viktor Khrenin met with Brigadier General Mohammad Taqi Osanlou, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran for Operations.

The parties exchanged views on the developing military and political situation in the Middle East and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the military sphere.