China has openly supported Belarus on a faster path to full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), according to a joint statement issued by the leaders of Belarus and China and reported by the BelTA news agency. The leaders underscored a shared commitment to deepening cooperation within major regional structures and frameworks that shape security, trade, and political dialogue across Asia and Eurasia. This position signals a clear intent to integrate Belarus more firmly into the SCO’s multilateral network, aligning its strategic interests with those of China and other SCO members (BelTA).
The joint document highlights ongoing and future collaboration between China and Belarus within the SCO and related regional mechanisms such as the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. It points to a coordinated approach to security, economic development, and people-to-people exchanges, emphasizing that the partnership will leverage the strengths of both nations to advance shared objectives in a broader regional setting (BelTA).
In the statement, China reiterates its support for accelerating Belarus’s entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organization as a full member. This emphasis reflects a wider policy priority of integrating Belarus into higher-level regional decision-making bodies and aligning its economic and political trajectories with the SCO’s core goals—multilateral cooperation, regional stability, and sustained growth (BelTA).
Earlier reports indicated potential plans involving Belarus and China to establish a free trade and investment zone, a project that could have gained momentum in 2023 through cooperation between the two governments. Such a zone would aim to deepen market access, reduce barriers to trade, and attract investment across sectors with mutual benefit in mind, reinforcing the broader strategic partnership between Minsk and Beijing (BelTA).
President Alexander Lukashenko’s visit to China has been framed as part of a long-standing effort to build durable friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between Belarus and China. The visit is presented as a continuation of a process designed to strengthen bilateral ties, expand practical collaboration, and explore new avenues for joint development. The focus remains on practical outcomes, including enhanced trade, technology transfer, and collaborative projects that support growth and regional resilience (BelTA).