On November 9^th, Zhang Xu, Chinese vice minister of culture and tourism, and the first vice cultural minister of Belarus hosted the 4^th conference of the Cultural Cooperation Branch Committee of China-Belarus Governmental Cooperation Committee.

    Both sides reviewed the exchanges and cooperation in cultural and tourism fields between the two countries and exchanged ideas of making full use of the mechanism, holding events in 2022 to mark the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship and enhancing practical cooperation in social science, book publication and movie.

    Zhang Xu said that Belarus had been a strategic partnership and a good friend of China. In the past year, China and Belarus had seen effective governmental cooperation mechanism, brand communication events with increasing influence, improved communication and cooperation within the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative and innovative cooperation mode of tourism. He suggested that both sides needed to stick to the spirit of mutual-trust and win-win cooperation; make full use of cooperation mechanism and platform; support direct link between professional facilities like artery and theater and improve the practical cooperation in fields of literature, movie, tourism and other fields. The next year would be the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relationship between the two countries. China was willing to work with Belarus to improve people-to-people communication and cooperation and to promote new development of the strategic partnership between the two countries, so as to benefit the two countries and their people.

    The first vice cultural minister of Belarus agreed with China’s suggestion to improve cultural cooperation. He said that developing the relationship with China was a priority for Belarus’ diplomatic relationship and cultural communication and cooperation was an important part of China-Belarus strategic partnership. Belarus government expected to see the branch committee as a platform to spend more effort with Chinese and to enhance the cooperation in culture and tourism, so as to use more cooperation achievement to push forward the bilateral relationship to a new level.

    In the conference, both sides signed the minutes of the 4^th conference of the branch committee.

    Xie Xiaoyong, Chinese ambassador to Belarus, and Senko Yury, Belarus ambassador to China, attended the conference and gave speeches. Wu Weishan, president of National Art Museum of China, and other Chinese member institutes attended the conference.