Chinese Government provides RMB 168.95 million grant — via ETCA — for China-Belarus Cooperation Center for Science and Technology Achievement Construction Project

Project narrative

On June 4, 2017, the Chinese Government and the Government of Belarus signed letters of exchange, committing RMB 168.95 million of grant funding for the China-Belarus Cooperation Center for Science and Technology Achievement Construction Project. The grant proceeds were drawn from an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) signed by the two governments on June 10, 2018. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) was the source of grant funding. The purpose of the project was to construct a China-Belarus Cooperation Center for Science and Technology Achievement within Great Stone Industrial Park (also known as the China-Belarus Industrial Park or Індустрыяльны парк «Вялікі камень» or Индустриальный парк «Великий камень»), which is located in the Smolevichi district between the Petrovichi reservoir and Minsk National Airport (25 km to the east of the capital city of Minsk). The center was designed as a five-storey building with a total area of about 19,000 square meters. It houses a demonstration and multifunctional halls, trading platforms, a business incubator, a center for intermediate testing and small-scale production, a testing center, and laboratories. In accordance with the resolution of the Government of the Republic of Belarus № 416 of June 2, 2018, the recipient of the grant responsible for the implementation of the project is the CJSC “Industrial Park Development Company” (中白工业园区开发股份有限 or China-Belarus Industrial Park Development Company or CBIPDC or Компания по развитию индустриального парка). However, it hired China No. 15 Metallurgical Construction Group (15MCC) as a subcontractor. The groundbreaking ceremony for the China-Belarus Cooperation Center for Science and Technology Achievement was held on December 18, 2018. The center was officially opened on December 23, 2020.