Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People's Republic of China in Russian – People's Republic of China in Russian –
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Source: People's Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) — As the bright lights of the stadium fell on his face, tens of thousands of spectators chanted words of support, and the eyes of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko followed his game, and a true friendship was born in the match with Chinese friends… It was at that moment that the happiness of a dream come true became tangible for the young footballer of the Belarusian national team, Arseny Skopets.
That evening, June 7, 2025, and the friendly match between Belarus and China will forever remain in the memory of A. Skopets. On that day, the National Football Stadium of Belarus, built with the support of China, was officially opened in Minsk. A. Lukashenko personally took part in the opening ceremony of the stadium and also watched the match between the youth teams of Belarus /U21/ and China /U22/. A. Skopets, playing as the goalkeeper of the Belarusian team, gave the spectators an exciting game.
20-year-old A. Skopets is a rising star of Belarusian football, who is highly anticipated by the national team. He started playing football at the age of 9 and has had a special love for this sport ever since.
“I think the beauty of football is that to enjoy it, you only need a ball and your passion. Anyone can play it, and nothing special is required,” A. Skopets said in an interview.
“It was the first time I played on a football field built with the support of China, the first match with the Chinese national team, and the first time I played in front of the president,” shared A. Skopets, not hiding his excitement at the memories of that game.
“The final score of the match was 1:1, friendship won.” A. Skopets noted that, although he was a little sorry for the missed goal, both teams showed their level, and the game was bright and memorable.
“The football field built for Belarus with the support of China is distinguished by its modern design, advanced equipment, and spacious area. The stadium holds about 33,000 people and was almost full that day. I have never played on such a good field and in front of such a large audience,” A. Skopets told journalists. The match took place on the eve of his 20th birthday. “Thank you very much for the gift from my Chinese friends!” the young player thanked.
What A. Skopets remembers most is that “the grass on the field was incredibly pleasant to feel underfoot.”
The general contractor for the National Football Stadium was Beijing Urban Construction Group. Sha Yi, head of the technical team for the project, said that the latest technology was used in constructing the central field turf, including a technology combining natural grass and artificial fiber. The turf is also equipped with four systems: drainage, ventilation, heating, and irrigation, which ensures its green color all year round and provides athletes with optimal conditions for competition.
In addition, during the construction of the stadium, Chinese builders also used energy-saving and environmentally friendly materials, as well as highly efficient intelligent lighting systems to reduce energy consumption. An aerodynamically optimized roof design was also made to reduce wind loads, increase stability and improve air circulation inside. In addition, a solar photovoltaic system was introduced, an intelligent energy management system was integrated to monitor and regulate the stadium's energy consumption in real time … All this added bright "green" touches of sustainable development to the facility.
Today the football stadium is actively used, becoming a new landmark and calling card of Minsk.
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Belarus Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk said that the China-supported football stadium and international-standard swimming pool have already been put into operation and are hosting many important domestic and international competitions. “These world-class facilities provide Belarusian athletes with excellent training and competition conditions, significantly enhance Belarus’s ability to host major international sports events, and make a significant contribution to the development of sports in the country.”
“To go to China!” — that’s how A. Skopets answers the question about his next dream. “We studied the history and culture of China at school and have long heard about the hospitality of the Chinese people and the beautiful landscapes of the country. I really want to go to China, see the country,” he noted. “I also hope that there will be more opportunities to play with the Chinese national team or go to training in China. I’m sure it will be very interesting,” he added. –0–
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