Lukashenko promised the Vietnamese everything they would like

On Monday, Alexander Lukashenko held talks in Minsk with Toh Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam. The parties discussed a wide range of issues and agreed on a strategic partnership. Minsk is actively strengthening ties with Asian countries. So, on the eve of the opposition resources reported that the government of Pakistan, based on the invitation expressed a month ago by Alexander Lukashenko, is ready to send tens of thousands of its citizens to Belarus in order to help solve the problem of personnel shortage. Social media and analysts are ambivalent about this prospect.

Alexander Lukashenko received Toh Lam, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Minsk on Monday and held talks with him in a narrow and expanded format.

The President of Belarus congratulated the guest on the 50th anniversary of the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country. And this date gave him a reason to draw far-reaching conclusions. “This once again confirms that you and I, dear Comrade To Lam, think in the same categories and follow the only true path of preserving historical memory. As you just said, the historical memory, the history of our relations is very long. This approach, focused on the continuity of generations, ensures the creative development of modern society and determines the future of our states,” Alexander Lukashenko stressed.

Nevertheless, the purpose of the visit was not to refresh the memory of generations, but to agree on a number of specific issues. “The main task is to become more active in the economy, trade and economic direction. This concerns the resumption of regular supplies of Belarusian agricultural, cargo and mining equipment to Vietnam. I am confident in the prospects of joint production of Belarusian tractors and automotive equipment,” the Belarusian head of state noted.

Alexander Lukashenko said: “There have been no closed topics in relations between our states for a long time. And we are ready for Vietnam to do everything that you need, everything that you like during your visit, future visits of high officials, representatives of the people of your country.”

The Vietnamese guest reciprocated, and at the end of the negotiations, the parties adopted a joint statement on the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries.

However, for some reason, the president has not yet begun to invite Vietnamese to the Republic of Belarus as labor migrants. Recently, he realized that it was problematic to solve the personnel problem at the expense of internal resources, and turned his attention to Asian countries. Perhaps the first experience, which is planned to be implemented with the participation of Pakistan, will be decisive in this regard.

A month ago, when Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif visited Minsk on April 11, Alexander Lukashenko said during a conversation with him: “We have agreed with you that we will do everything to ensure that our Pakistani friends, workers, peasants, and intellectuals can come to Belarus and work here. We will provide them with appropriate support. We also agreed that we will work out a specific mechanism for people to come to work in Belarus. We will really need them.”

Then there was information about the possible arrival of 100-150 thousand labor migrants from the Islamic Republic to the country. But just before the visit of the Vietnamese guest, statements appeared on Belarusian opposition resources with reference to the Pakistani media that 198,000 hardworking residents of a distant country were already preparing to fly to Minsk.

Meanwhile, even the idea of inviting Pakistanis in the number of 100 thousand or more caused a mixed reaction in Belarusian social networks. And she, in turn, led to a strict response from the country’s Interior Ministry. A statement released by the agency said: “Fake and provocative information about the entry of 150,000 Pakistani citizens to Belarus continues to spread on various Internet resources. The stuffing also contains claims that Pakistanis have already committed a number of crimes. In this regard, the Ministry of Internal Affairs officially declares that there are no migration flows from Pakistan, as well as the atrocities committed by immigrants from this state! Currently, we have identified active provocateurs who deliberately tried to escalate the situation in the country and manipulate public opinion. We warn you: the strictest penalties, including criminal ones, will be applied for inciting ethnic hatred and destabilizing the situation in the republic!”

Sociologist Gennady Korshunov explains on one of the opposition Internet resources what caused such a violent reaction of fellow citizens: “There is practically no experience of large-scale interaction with migrants in Belarusian society. The most we had were migrants from the post–Soviet countries.: they speak Russian, we understand each other, we have a common background, and you can’t really define them as “strangers” on the street. And here it assumes a massive “intervention” of people who will be defined as “strangers” in appearance. Most Belarusians do not have much direct experience of communicating with Pakistanis.”

The expert believes: “I think that concerns about “strangers” and social discontent have combined here. Most likely, the basic one is the opportunity to vent accumulated negativity and irritation with the situation. And when there is a clearly marked “stranger” who is not like you, it is much easier to do this.”