On December 21, 2017, Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road Institute and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus established the China-Belarus Joint Research Center for the Belt and Road Initiative. They held a seminar titled "5+1 Cooperation within the Belt and Road Framework: Pathways and Implementation - Perspectives from Belarus." During the seminar, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road Institute and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus to establish the "Belt and Road" Joint Research Center.

The guests attending the seminar witnessed the signing ceremony of the Joint Research Center. Those distinguished guests from the Belarusian side included Academician Peter Vityaz (Витязь ПетрАлександрович), merited scientist of the Republic of Belarus and Secretary-General of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus; Professor Sergei Zolotoi (Золотой Сергей Анатольевич), Director of the Geographic Information Systems Research Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus; and Professor Alexander Kaldei (Гордей Александр Николаевич), Director of the Department of Oriental Languages at the Faculty of International Relations of Belarusian State University. Distinguished guests attending the Chinese side included Hu Biliang, the Dean of Beijing Normal University's Belt and Road Institute; former Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Wu Hongbin; researchers Xue Fuqi and Zhao Huirong from the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Distinguished Professor Pan Qingzhong and Professor Li Xing from the School of Government Management at Beijing Normal University; Jiang Dehua, Deputy General Manager of China Gezhouba Group International Engineering Co., Ltd.; and Dr. Wang Chaobo, a researcher at the Institute of Emerging Market Studies.

The establishment of the China-Belarus Belt and Road Joint Research Center aims to enhance in-depth research on the China-Belarus Industrial Park and provide valuable insights and recommendations to decision-makers from both sides. It is also expected to contribute significantly to advancing the "Belt and Road" cooperation, particularly in promoting "5+1" cooperation within the Belt and Road framework. The center's establishment will facilitate increased collaboration in various fields, contributing wisdom and strength to the Eurasian Economic Union, Eurasian economic integration, as well as the development of the Belt and Road Initiative. Ultimately, it shall play a crucial role in promoting policy communication between China and Belarus within the Belt and Road framework, enhancing cooperation among the five countries of the Eurasian Economic Union and China, advancing the Silk Road Economic Belt, and strengthening connectivity between Asia and Europe.

Organizational Structure

China-side Director: Hu Biliang

Belarus-side Director: Anatoly Afanasyevich Tozik (Former Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus)