China and Belarus issued a joint statement in Beijing Monday amidst Belarussian President Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko's state visit to China. President Jiang Zemin and President Lukashenko signed the statement on behalf of their respective countries.

At the invitation of President Jiang Zemin of the People's Republic of China (PRC), President Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko of the Republic of Belarus (ROB) paid a state visit to China from April 22 to 24, 2001.

President Jiang Zemin and other Chinese state leaders respectively met with or held talks with President Lukashenko.

Leaders of the two countries exchanged views in a sincere, cordial and friendly atmosphere on the reinforcement of bilateral relations and international issues of common concern. They believe that the coming of the 21st century has brought even broader prospects for China-Belarus relations.

The PRC and the ROB are willing to further consolidate their traditional friendship, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and continue with their constructive cooperation in international affairs.

Based on the meetings and talks held here, the PRC and the ROB issue the following statement:

I. China and Belarus reaffirm joint commitments to their agreement on the establishment of diplomatic relations on January 20, 1992; their joint statement on January 11, 1993; their joint statement on further developing and deepening bilateral cooperation on January 17, 1995; and their joint statement on the overall enhancement of bilateral cooperation in the 21st century on July 27, 2000.

Both China and Belarus believe that it is a major choice made by the two countries in accordance with the changing international situation and in the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries to deepen their comprehensive friendly cooperation, which was established on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence, a high-degree of mutual trust and coordination, and to further lift such a relationship to a new level.

II. Both countries point out that through concerted efforts, they have laid down a basis of law and set up related organizations for a treaty governing mutual beneficial cooperation in politics, economics and trade, science and technology, and culture. Relative departments, enterprises, and organizations of both countries should take various effective measures to further enrich the contents of the agreements already concluded.

III. Both the PRC and the ROB highly emphasize the significance of top-level and high-level meetings on the promotion of bilateral relations. The diplomatic, economic, scientific and technological, and defense departments of both countries will maintain regular and frequent contacts, strengthen coordination, and continuously expand cooperative realms and enrich cooperative content.

IV. The ROB reiterates its consistent principled stance on the Taiwan question -- there is only one China in the world, the PRC government is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of the Chinese territory. The ROB supports China's principled position against an "independence of Taiwan" and any attempt to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan", and restates the non-establishment of official relations with Taiwan in any form.

The ROB stresses that the Taiwan question is entirely China's internal affair, and it supports China's position against interference by external forces and opposes Taiwan's participation in the United Nations and other international organizations composed of only sovereign states.

V. The Chinese side reiterates its respect for the development path chosen by the Belarussian people, and its understanding of and support for all efforts made by the ROB to safeguard its independence and state sovereignty.

VI. Both sides point out that multi-polarization serves the demands of the current times and interests of the overwhelming majority of countries and peoples, and is conducive to safeguarding world peace and stability.

VII. Both sides confirm that they share identical or similar views and positions on major current international and regional issues, and will strengthen their close cooperation in the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations and make concerted efforts for the establishment of a just and reasonable new international political and economic order.

Both sides hold that only by pursuing the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and acknowledged principles of international law and taking the national characteristics of all peoples into consideration, and through the collective efforts of the international community, can the challenges put forward by the 21st century be conquered.

VIII. Both sides firmly believe that the UN is the most universal and authoritative organization in the world composed of sovereign states, and its status and role can not be replaced by any other international organizations. The UN is a guarantor for safeguarding world peace and security and both sides support the UN to increase its efficiency and role.

Both sides declare that they will never accept any attempt against the purposes and principles of the UN Charter to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states under any circumstances.

Both sides support a reform of the UN Security Council on the basis of the widest-ranging consensus reached by UN member states on all questions.

The PRC and ROB are concerned about the improvement of efficiency of the UN peace-keeping mechanism, pointing out that international conflicts should be resolved through diplomatic and political means as a priority and reiterating that the norms of international law should be strictly observed.

IX. The two sides reiterate that the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (ABM Treaty) signed in 1972 is the cornerstone for maintaining global strategic stability and international security, and it is also the basis for framing other international agreements on reducing and limiting offensive strategic arms as well as on preventing the proliferation of mass-destructive weapons.

The two sides hold that the establishment of the National Missile Defense System (NMD), which violates the ABM Treaty, will exert a negative impact on the global strategic stability, the process of international arms control and the efforts in non-proliferation of mass-destructive weapons.

Both sides point out that the plan of developing Theater Missile Defense System (TMD) in the Asia-Pacific region by some countries will damage the peace and stability in the region. The Chinese side firmly opposes the incorporation of China's Taiwan into the TMD system by any country in any form. The Belarus side supports China's principled stance on this issue.

The two sides reiterate that the ABM Treaty should be abided by comprehensively and faithfully. The two sides hereby pointed out that the "resolution calling for united efforts to strengthen the ABM Treaty," proposed by China, Belarus and Russia and adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1999 and 2000, is of vital significance.

X. The two sides hold that various terrorist, separatist, extremist and other trans-national criminal activities pose a serious threat to the security of sovereign states and the peace and stability all over the world.

The two sides reiterate their determination to take concrete and effective actions to fight such criminal activities through bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

XI. Belarus President Alexander Grigorievich Lukashenko extended his thanks to China for the warm reception by the Chinese side and invited President Jiang Zemin of the PRC to pay an official visit to the ROB. President Jiang Zemin accepted the invitation with pleasure. The specific date for Jiang's visit will be determined through diplomatic channels.

(People’s Daily 04/23/2001)