IFA Visits Belarusian Consulate General in Guangzhou to Deepen China–Belarus Trade and Exchange Cooperation
On December 20, Mr. Qi Yilong, President of our association, paid a visit to the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Guangzhou. He was warmly received by Mr. Popov Andrei, Consul General of the Republic of Belarus in Guangzhou; Mr. Gorbach Anton, Consul; Mr. Budnik Nikita, Vice Consul; and Ms. Yang Weina, Assistant to the Consul General.
During the meeting, both sides reviewed the close development of China–Belarus relations in recent years. Since the establishment of a new era all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022, high-level exchanges have been frequent. China has become Belarus’s second-largest trading partner and its largest trading partner in Asia.
Mr. Gorbach Anton, Consul of the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Guangzhou, expressed sincere gratitude to our association for its outstanding contribution in introducing Belarusian products to the Chinese market. He pointed out that, to date, 179 Belarusian enterprises (exporters) have successfully entered the Chinese market — a remarkable achievement that fully demonstrates the fruitful results of bilateral cooperation. On this basis, Belarus is actively considering recommending more high-quality local enterprises to participate in bilateral cooperation projects, so as to further strengthen the close ties of economic and trade relations between the two countries.
In addition, Belarus participated in the China Food Show® (Guangzhou) for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024), showcasing the profound friendship and cooperation potential between the two nations. Looking ahead, the Belarusian representatives expressed keen expectations to continue participating in the 2025 China Food Show® (Guangzhou) and hope to deepen bilateral cooperation on this platform, jointly creating a new situation of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.
During the in-depth exchange, President Qi also shared key insights: Belarusian meat and flour products perform excellently in the Chinese market, possessing distinct competitive advantages and enormous development potential. He emphasized that, by leveraging the strong capabilities of the Consulate General and our association, targeted endorsement could be provided for Belarusian enterprises and their high-quality products, thereby enabling efficient promotion and publicity. This strategy won unanimous praise from the Belarusian representatives, who unanimously agreed that, in addition to meat and flour, original Belarusian products also hold significant untapped potential in the Chinese market. They expressed hope to actively participate in innovative fair-type events, and will recommend to our association the list of Belarus’s high-quality food enterprises selected in 2024, to promote resource sharing.
In response to these proposals, President Qi gave his full affirmation and pledged to provide tailored cooperation plans for Belarusian enterprises. Furthermore, our association will spare no effort in intensifying promotion and publicity, further enhancing the attractiveness and confidence of Belarusian enterprises entering the Chinese market.
Toward the end of the discussion, the Belarusian representatives noted that some Chinese enterprises remain cautious about transacting through intermediaries and are reluctant to make full payment before shipment. President Qi expressed full understanding and put forward the following optimization suggestions: in the future, our association will organize thematic seminars bringing together exporters from multiple countries and Chinese importers and distributors, to explain in depth key topics such as trade practices, market dynamics, and standard cooperation procedures, thereby facilitating smoother collaboration between enterprises.
Consul General Mr. Popov Andrei highly endorsed this proposal and further suggested that our association collect feedback from interested partner organizations, after which the Consulate would verify the relevant information with enterprises. The Consulate General will send officers to our association to answer various questions for member units, thereby advancing cooperation between enterprises on both sides.
This meeting successfully built a bridge of mutual trust and communication between the two sides in the fields of food trade, exhibition collaboration, and market promotion. It not only greatly promoted mutual progress but also laid an unshakable foundation for deeper cooperation in the future. We are confident that, through joint efforts and mutual trust, both sides will usher in a fruitful and prosperous future of shared success!