Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko spoke highly of Chinese President Xi Jinping's remarkable leading role in China’s rapid development in an exclusive interview with the China Media Group (CMG) released on Friday.
Lukashenko is amongst the foreign leaders invited to attend the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit 2025 in Tianjin, and China's V-Day commemorations in Beijing.
The SCO Summit 2025, scheduled for Aug 31 and Sept 1, will be the largest in the organization's history, with more than 20 foreign leaders and 10 heads of international organizations expected to attend.
On Sept 3, China will hold a grand military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Noting his friendship with President Xi, Lukashenko said Xi is a leader respected by the whole world.
"Speaking of my relationship with President Xi, I can say that I am very glad to work with a leader who understands our culture. That is of great importance. At the same time, the people of Belarus including me have come to know something of the culture of the People's Republic of China. Our relationship is excellent. President Xi has rich experience in governance and deep insights into the broader trends of our times. It is precisely because of him that China has been able to achieve such remarkable development in recent years. Your leader is outstanding. I say this not only because he is my friend, but because he is truly a exceptional statesman, a leader respected by the whole world. And when a national leader wins respect, the country he represents wins respect as well," he said.
Belarusian president highly commends Xi's leading role in China's development
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
