Keys to 120 apartments in a public welfare house located at 92 Leningradskaya Street and built using Chinese investments were handed over to residents in the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, BelTA has learned.

The ten-story house was built in line with the Belarusian-Chinese intergovernmental agreement. The apartments went primarily to orphans, families with children with disabilities, and large families.

"The support is modest, but from the depth of our hearts," noted Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Belarus Cui Qiming. "It is the second house built in Vitebsk within the framework of the agreement. The construction of such public welfare homes will continue."

For many years Belarus and China have been connected not only by mutually beneficial cooperation but interpersonal relations, added the diplomat.

Marina Areshchenko, Head of the Civil Engineering Office of the Vitebsk City Executive Committee, told media that 19 apartment houses have been commissioned this year. Living standards of about 700 families have been improved thanks to state support. "We intend to commission about 150,000m2 of housing in apartment houses next year. Work on exact figures is still in progress," she said.

BELARUSIAN NEWS