Belarus, China Presidents View Terrorism As Serious Threat To Sovereignty, Security

Different manifestations of terrorism, separatism, extremism, as well as reinvigoration of transnational crime pose serious threat to the sovereignty and security of states, to peace and stability world-wide, reads a joint Belarussian-Chinese declaration, which has been signed in Beijing by Chinese leader Jiang Zemin and President Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus. The latter is now on a state visit to China. The document stresses that during the negotiations both sides "reaffirmed their intention to take practical and efficient measures to fight these crimes on the basis of bilateral and multilateral cooperation". The Belarussian president backed the position of China on the Taiwan issue. The declaration says that Belarus backs "the principled position of China aimed against the 'independence' of Taiwan", against any attempts to create a situation of "two Chinas" or "one China - one Taiwan". Belarus has undertaken an obligation not to establish official relations with Taiwan "in whatever form". Belarus has also said that it will come up against Taiwan's participation in the work of the United Nations and other international organisations, whose members can be only sovereign states.

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