«Let me begin with what matters most — words of gratitude. Thank you for the warm, homelike welcome, which once again confirms that the friendship between our peoples has already stood the test of time,» Nikolai Snopkov said. «Once upon a time, the caravans of the Great Silk Road stopped right here, in Gansu, to gather strength before the long journey westward. Today we have come here with the same purpose — to move forward together. We see and appreciate the attention that China’s leadership, and Gansu Province in particular, pay to our country.»

The first deputy prime minister emphasized that he had not arrived in Lanzhou empty-handed. «I bring with me a directive from Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and his clear instruction: to translate our all-weather strategic partnership and the guidelines set by our heads of state into concrete deeds, figures, projects and venues,» he stressed.

According to Nikolai Snopkov, the decision to hold the first Belarus-China Forum of Regions in Gansu was no accident. «Your province is not just one of China’s regions. It is the heart of the ancient Silk Road, a symbol of connectivity and dialogue. And we Belarusians have historically stood at the crossroads of Europe; we are the link between East and West, the modern European extension of the Silk Road,» the first deputy prime minister noted.

«For Belarus, China, under the wise and far-sighted leadership of the Communist Party and Comrade Xi Jinping personally, has always been and remains an example of an effective regional policy model. Gansu is emerging as a powerful industrial and logistics hub. In this sense, Gansu and Belarus share a historic mission to serve as a bridge between regions, markets, and people,» added Nikolai Snopkov. «Our competitive advantages are obvious and complement each other. Gansu boasts unique natural resources, expertise in traditional Chinese medicine, a school of sericulture, and a powerful industrial and logistics hub. Belarus boasts excellent industrial potential, advanced mechanical engineering, and potash fertilizers. Today, Gansu is China’s gateway to the West, and Belarus is Eurasia’s gateway to Europe. Xi Jinping maintains a particularly warm affinity for both Belarus and Gansu Province, referring to Gansu as the „Jade Scepter of China“ and to Belarus as the „Pearl on the Silk Road“. We are open, we are results-oriented, and we are ready to create our shared history together.»