Belarus and China are busy setting up a joint venture to make unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), BelTA learned from First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Sergei Chizhik during the press conference held on 26 December to discuss the Year of Science in Belarus.

According to the source, it is possible that the relevant contract may be signed in H1 2017.

Sergei Chizhik noted that Russia, Vietnam, and Turkmenistan show their interest in cooperation with Belarus in this field. The official underlined that the People's Republic of China is the key partner. “We are working together with China to start joint production. It is China's largest company and, I think, the world's largest company. There are plans to set up the joint enterprise in the China-Belarus industrial park Great Stone,” said the First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.

Sergei Chizhik noted that the Belarusian market of unmanned aerial vehicles is considered to be large, yet manufacturers should focus on export. “The competition on the global market of flying drones is very high. If we don't team up with strong companies, we will have a hard time staying on the market,” believes the First Deputy Chairman of the Presidium of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus.