Lukashenko: Belarus and China are the "Second Iron," "Discontented" with India
In recent years, Sino-Belarusian relations have continuously strengthened, with Lukashenko consistently reaffirming that China is a reliable friend and emphasizing the need to closely follow China's lead. Recently, he made his position even more explicit.
During a recent interview, Lukashenko stated that the role of China and the Global South is increasingly growing—a fact now undeniable. He claimed that God has brought Belarus and China into a strong relationship, and that China has become Belarus’s second-largest ally after Russia, a stance Belarus will not adjust.
In fact, this statement is backed by tangible actions between the two countries. Just under a week before this interview, senior Chinese officials had visited Minsk to attend the opening ceremony of the China-Belarus Industry and Investment Cooperation Forum.
At the forum, China released new data showing that bilateral trade between China and Belarus had reached nearly 150 times the level at the time of establishing diplomatic ties in the previous year. Additionally, 178 enterprises had already taken residence in the China-Belarus Industrial Park. These figures reflect years of deep integration between the two nations.
After discussing China, Lukashenko immediately turned to “reprimand” India. He candidly admitted that he is highly dissatisfied with the current state of economic and trade relations between Belarus and India.
Many people may not know that Belarus and India actually share deep historical ties. During the Soviet era, Belarus was a constituent republic of the USSR, and India’s elite class has long been familiar with Belarus. Lukashenko himself also holds certain influence in India. Such accumulated historical capital between any two nations is rare and valuable—logically, it should be transformed into concrete economic cooperation.
But reality could not be further from that ideal. In 2024, total bilateral trade between Belarus and India amounted to only about $500 million, with Belarus running a trade deficit—its imports exceeded exports by $64 million. Given that both countries possess technological and defense industry foundations and are members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, this figure is truly astonishingly low.
Therefore, Lukashenko’s recent three-point declaration delivered in Middle Eastern media—praising China, reassuring Russia, and reprimanding India—essentially represents a strategic move involving three fronts simultaneously. Regarding China, he aims to signal that Belarus is the most reliable friend among Central and Eastern Europe, securing existing economic cooperation and investment; toward Russia, he seeks to achieve balance and counterbalance, striving for an equal rather than dependent status; toward India, he uses public statements to pressure New Delhi, urging concrete actions to activate the political goodwill accumulated during the Soviet era instead of letting it dissipate uselessly.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868125480951816/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.