Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping had an informal friendly conversation before the start of the official talks in Beijing.
A session of the CSTO Collective Security Council is scheduled to be held in Minsk on 23 November. Preparations for the summit will likely become the main talking point of the meeting.
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“Among those who will accompany the president we have spotted government members, the chairman of the State Control Committee, the chairman of the National Bank and generals. Local authorities will also be there, of course,” wrote the Pul Pervogo Telegram channel.