Xi Jinping met with Lukashenko after the Valdai Forum: what they discussed
Roman Bezsmertny spoke about this on Radio NV.
On 29 June, Alexander Lukashenko held a meeting in Beijing with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the talks took place at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. The Chinese side stated that Beijing supports Belarus in defending its national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
Xi Jinping also emphasised the need to maintain strategic communication between Beijing and Minsk and to develop high-level bilateral relations.
Following the talks, the Belarusian side stated that relations between China and Belarus are at a “historic high”. According to his press service, Lukashenko said he greatly appreciated Xi Jinping’s assessment.
Why this visit following Valdai is important
Before travelling to China, Lukashenko met with Putin at the Valdai residence. The talks took place on 26 June behind closed doors and lasted around five hours.
According to Reuters, the Kremlin officially stated that Putin and Lukashenko discussed the war in Ukraine, trade, economic cooperation, joint projects and regional security. No public statements or documents were planned following the meeting.
It was precisely this sequence of events — first a closed-door meeting with Putin, followed by an unannounced visit to Xi Jinping — that gave rise to speculation about possible coordination between Moscow and Minsk ahead of the talks with China.
What, according to Bezsmertny, might Lukashenko have asked for
Roman Bezsmertny suggested that Lukashenko might have travelled to China with a request agreed with Putin. According to him, during his conversation with Xi Jinping, the Belarusian leader effectively spoke of the need for microchips, components, machine tools and dual-use equipment.
Bezsmertnyy links this to the needs of the defence-industrial complex of Russia and Belarus. These are goods which, formally, may have civilian applications but are also used in military production or to support military infrastructure.
The diplomat also put forward another theory: Lukashenko may have been assessing where he would have to flee should he face the threat of losing power. According to Bezsmertny, Lukashenko’s family purchased a comfortable house in a rural area of China almost ten years ago.
These statements represent Bezsmertny’s assessment. Neither China nor Belarus has officially reported that the meeting involved discussions regarding a request from Putin, personal guarantees for Lukashenko or a possible escape.
What was stated in Beijing
Following the meeting, Beijing emphasised the stability of Sino-Belarusian relations. Xi Jinping stated that China and Belarus should strengthen strategic communication and deepen cooperation.
The Chinese leader also said that Beijing supports Belarus on issues of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Such a statement is important for Minsk, as Lukashenko’s regime remains subject to Western sanctions and is increasingly dependent on support from Russia and China.
For Ukraine, this visit is significant because of the possible link between Lukashenko’s talks with Putin and his trip to meet Xi Jinping. If Minsk is indeed requesting dual-use components from China, this could have an impact on the military-industrial capabilities of Russia and Belarus.
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