Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko visited China from June 2 to 4, with the highlight of his trip being a meeting with Xi Jinping on June 4. Notably, the meeting was held in Zhongnanhai, the leadership compound of the Chinese Communist Party, rather than the traditional venue, the Great Hall of the People. During the meeting, Xi remarked, “My office is right next door. This is the first time I’ve received you here.”
According to the Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA), Belarusian First Deputy Prime Minister Nikolai Snopkov emphasized the “special nature” of the visit, describing it as “neither a working visit nor an official state visit, but a special trip for a family-style friendly luncheon.”
Political analysts highlighted several anomalies surrounding the visit:
- Although Belarus characterized the meeting as a “traditional friendly family gathering,” Lukashenko’s wife did not accompany him to China. Xi Jinping’s wife, Peng Liyuan, was also absent.
- The visit appeared unannounced, with no prior notice issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
- Upon Lukashenko’s arrival in Beijing on June 2, there was no coverage from Chinese state media, nor any indication of who received him at the airport.
- No other members of the Politburo Standing Committee met with Lukashenko; his only public engagement was with representatives of the business community.
YouTuber and political commentator Da Yu offered his interpretation in a recent video, suggesting that Lukashenko’s sudden visit may be linked to Ukraine’s “Spider’s Web” drone attack on June 1, which reportedly destroyed or damaged many Russian warplanes, including nuclear-capable bombers. Russian President Vladimir Putin may have dispatched Lukashenko to Beijing to assess China’s position on the attack and gauge the extent of its willingness to support Russia in any retaliatory actions.
The visit has also reignited speculation over Xi Jinping’s political standing. Reports noted that Xi had not appeared in public between May 21 and June 3. While some argue that his meeting with Lukashenko on June 4 would dispel rumors of political instability, others view the event as a carefully staged appearance, suggesting that Xi may currently be restricted to Zhongnanhai.
Sources:
1. BelTA, June 5, 2025
https://chn.belta.by/president/view/-35724-2025/
2. Epoch Times, June 5, 2025
https://www.epochtimes.com/gb/25/6/5/n14524823.htm
3. YouTube, June 5, 2025.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjS09ZrEx4o