MINSK - Belarus and China are implementing more than 20 major mutual investment projects, Belarusian Deputy Prime Minister Anatoly Tozik said Wednesday.

China's banks have issued $5.5 billion in loans for those projects, Tozik said at the opening ceremony of China's ( Heilongjiang) trade show in Minsk.

Over 150 projects may become part of the program designed to guide the development of Belarus-China strategic partnership till 2020, he added.

"We suggest 151 projects for joint implementation. But if we take a closer look at the products on display during the first Chinese trade show, the number of projects may increase," Tozik said.

The official stressed that the first Chinese (Heilongjiang) trade show is a clear confirmation of the fact that Belarus-China relationship had reached a qualitatively new level. Heilongjiang is the only Chinese province with which the Belarusian government has a joint commission on trade and industrial cooperation.

Sun Dongsheng, vice governor of Heilongjiang Province, said Belarus is becoming an important partner for Heilongjiang. Thanks to the joint efforts, Belarus and China had strengthened ties in various fields and areas, with the scale of cooperation constantly expanding, he noted.

The first Chinese (Heilongjiang) trade show in Minsk has drawn more than 80 Chinese companies from sectors including energy, engineering, construction, agriculture, light industry and pharmaceutics.