Belarus-China trade up by over 30% in January-October 2023
MINSK, 22 December (BelTA) – Belarus continues diversifying the export of goods and services and stepping up presence on the markets of Russia, China, and far-arc countries, building new trade and economic ties, and forming logistic chains, First Deputy Economy Minister Yuri Chebotar pointed out in an interview with the Economy of Belarus magazine.
Yuri Chebotar said: “Trade flow has been fully reoriented away from the markets of Western countries and Ukraine. Shipments to friendly countries have increased by 1.3 times. The share of these countries in Belarus’ export increased by 14 percentage points. Shipments to Asian countries went up by 1.5 times, to Central and South Americas by 1.8 times. The growth of export to Russia is measured in two-digit numbers. The share of Belarusian machines, vehicles, equipment, chemical products, goods made of wood and ferrous metals in Russia’s import has increased substantially.”
Belarus’ trade with China develops dynamically. In 2022 mutual trade hit a record high of about $6 billion. In January-October 2023 trade turnover grew by more than a third. The highest growth rate has been registered in the export of food (rapeseed oil, poultry meat, and milk whey), export of potash fertilizers, polyamides, timber, wood chipboard, cellulose, and flax.
The official clarified: “Our export reserves are primarily focused on increasing the number of goods, which are certified for export to China, and the number of enterprises, which are certified to export to China. At present we are talking about 165 Belarusian manufacturers and 202 commodity headings. There are plans to expand the access of Belarusian foods made of beef and poultry to the Chinese market soon, including baby food, foods made of wheat (groats, flakes, mill offals), other foods (eggs, honey).”
Belarusian enterprises view the People’s Republic of China as a consumer of Belarusian exports and a supplier of the necessary raw materials, components, tools and equipment, manufacturing technologies.
“With China we are also intent on creating and developing joint high-tech manufacturing enterprises. In particular, over $840 million has already been invested in our strategic project – the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone. As many as 117 resident companies from 15 countries have been registered. The park’s resident companies now include 22 new enterprises with projects in the sphere of healthcare, biotechnologies, logistics, and R&D,” Yuri Chebotar said.
African countries occupy a special place in Belarus’ export plans. First of all, it applies to machines, vehicles, equipment, and technologies for agriculture. From 60% to 80% of the African population are occupied in agriculture, this is why modernization and mechanization of this economy branch thanks to shipments of Belarusian agricultural machines and polished technologies is one of the priority tasks.
The Economy Ministry also believes that shipments of trucks, haul trucks, metallurgical products, a broad range of services, in particular, education and healthcare ones, also look promising.
The main partners on the African continent are Egypt, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Morocco, South Africa, Angola, Tunisia, Nigeria, Kenya, and Equatorial Guinea.
