MINSK, 25 July (BelTA) – Belarus and China will work together to ensure the security of the Belt and Road initiative facilities. The plans are stipulated by the protocol signed by representatives of Belarusian and Chinese law enforcement agencies in Minsk, the press service of the Belarusian Interior Ministry told BelTA.

A delegation of China's Public Security Ministry led by Deputy Police Commissioner Xia Chongyuan was in Belarus. The delegation visited the international center for training, career enhancement, and retraining of personnel specializing in migration and the counteraction of trafficking in persons at the Interior Ministry Academy. Negotiations with Belarusian Deputy Interior Minister Alexander Kobrusev were held. The sides signed a number of important documents, including the protocol on cooperation in ensuring the security of Belt and Road initiative facilities.

According to Xia Chongyuan, the protocol will allow the sides to step up information exchange and carry out joint investigations, help each other clarify the necessary information in a timely manner. China is busy stepping up the security of cargo transportation. An international forum of law enforcement agencies was organized in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province two times in order to discuss the security of the Eurasian transport corridor. A Belarusian delegation took part in both forums. The Chinese side expects support in the creation of the secretariat of the forum, which has become an important venue for sharing information and building up cooperation in security matters between various agencies.

The protection of public order in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone was also discussed during the meeting. Belarusian and Chinese law enforcement agencies are expected to work together on it. Details of the project have yet to be thoroughly discussed.

Apart from that, the Chinese delegation expressed interest in stepping up cooperation in personnel training. Career enhancement, personnel training and joint scientific research were mentioned. Alexander Kobrusev noted: “The Belarusian Interior Ministry has positive experience of training foreign specialists. The Interior Ministry Academy, its international center for training, career enhancement, and retraining of personnel specializing in migration affairs and the counteraction of trafficking in persons, and the Mogilev Institute of the Belarusian Interior Ministry maintain high educational standards. We are ready to consider the possibility of training Chinese specialists in Belarus, including the mutual organization of language courses for law enforcement specialists of both sides.” As a result of the meeting Head of the China Criminal Police University Hao Hongkui and Head of the Interior Ministry Academy Vladimir Bachila signed an agreement on cooperation between the two higher education institutions.

During the meeting it was noted that Belarusian and Chinese law enforcement agencies have established fruitful cooperation and are intent on advancing it. Representatives of the Belarusian and Chinese police agencies signed a protocol on interaction in Beijing in 2016. Concrete measures to implement the protocol were agreed when Chinese Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun visited Belarus in April 2017. The measures provide for upgrading practical cooperation in fighting terrorism and extremism, corruption, illegal drugs turnover, counteraction of cybercrimes and illegal migration, cooperation in efforts to maintain law and order and public security.