On November 6th, the 16th Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum was successfully held in Shanghai as a concurrent event of the 6th China International Import Expo. The forum was hosted by the State Administration for Market Regulation and co-organized by the Shanghai Municipal Administration for Market Regulation, the Development Research Center of the State Administration for Market Regulation, and the Secretariat of the Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum. ULADZIMIR NIAVESTSENKA, Counsellor of Belarus Embassy in Beijing, attended the opening ceremony of the forum and delivered a speech at the Theme Forum.
ULADZIMIR NIAVESTSENKA, Counsellor of Belarus Embassy in Beijing, delivered a speech
Esteemed organizers and distinguished guests, colleagues all,
It is with genuine delight that I stand before you today, representing both the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus and the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus to the People’s Republic of China. It is my honor to express our keen interest and intent to deepen cooperation with China.
In recent years, the swift pace of growth in bilateral trade between Belarus and China has been both heartening and inspiring. Annually, our trade volume approximates $6 billion, with Belarus contributing about $1.6 billion in exports.
We take particular pride in the fact that a significant portion of our exports to China comprises agricultural products and foodstuffs. This, we believe, is a testament to the high level of trust our Chinese partners place in us. As it is well acknowledged, China places a premium on food quality. We, therefore, confidently pledge our commitment to meeting the requisite standards of product quality.
In the Republic of Belarus, the dairy industry plays a pivotal role, not merely as a source of employment and raw materials but as a crucial tool for addressing socio-economic issues in rural areas, ensuring food security, and facilitating the rhythmic operation of our entire agro-industrial complex.
Traditionally, the state assumes a vital role in our dairy industry. Typically, under five-year governmental plans, resources are allocated, key investment projects for dairy farming and milk processing are launched, and promising export directions are identified. There is a systematic effort to consolidate processing enterprises by merging production capacities and focusing on the development of raw material zones. We are continuously modernizing and introducing cutting-edge milk processing technologies, aiming for a zero-waste production model.
Over the past two decades, milk production in Belarus has surged by 74%, currently exceeding 7.8 million tons annually. Concurrently, the number of dairy processing enterprises in Belarus has been streamlined from 70 to 34 major companies.
Today, Belarus leads the world in per capita milk production and consumption, with approximately 840 kilograms produced and 237 kilograms consumed per person each year. The surplus milk forms the backbone of our export potential.
Over the last decade, Belarus’s export of dairy products to various countries has grown by over 40%, amounting to $2.7 billion. Currently, 50 countries, including China, are our regular customers.
Regrettably, complex and costly logistics, along with the intricacies of payment processes, continue to be significant barriers to trade development between Belarus and China.
One distinctive aspect of the interaction between Belarus and China is the complementary nature of our economies, rather than competition. This is a crucial point. From the outset, dairy companies from Belarus and China have had a unique opportunity to collaborate in a serene and friendly environment. Belarusian companies are actively seeking partners in China to establish joint ventures and are prepared to discuss all forms of cooperation, including those under the guarantees of the Government of the Republic of Belarus. We are also open to investments within Belarus’s dairy industry.
The Belt and Road Initiative presents a unique development opportunity. The Belarusian side sees tremendous potential for cooperation under this global project and is prepared to align our development plans with those of our friends and reliable partners. Belarus has conceived numerous new projects in livestock farming, crop production, and processing, and we invite our Chinese partners and other countries along the Belt and Road to join us in implementing these initiatives.
I wish all participants of the forum a productive and successful work!
The theme of the forum is, ‘Deepening the Belt and Road Cooperation in Agriculture and Food: Jointly Creating a Better Life for Humanity.’ Leaders from the State Administration for Market Regulation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, National Health Commission, General Administration of Customs, as well as leaders from Shanghai, Henan, Hainan, and other provincial governments, representatives of provincial market supervision departments, representatives of relevant United Nations organizations, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and embassies of South Africa, the Netherlands, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, Tanzania, Senegal, among others, along with over 400 delegates from domestic and international enterprises, participated in the forum. Guests collectively deliberated on agricultural cooperation and food industry development, contributing insights and strategies for the high-quality development of agriculture and food industries in the Belt and Road Initiative, highlighting the role of the forum as a platform for policy interpretation.
2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the proposal of the Belt and Road Initiative and the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Eco-Agriculture and Food Safety Forum. Over the past decade, the forum has been successfully held for 15 sessions within the framework of the National Food Safety Publicity Week and the China International Import Expo. The forum has solidly promoted high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, extensively conducted exchanges and cooperation in the agricultural and food industries, played a significant role in the development and safety of agricultural food industries in the countries along the route, and facilitated smooth international trade among the Belt and Road countries.
