Terming China the largest trading partner of Bangladesh, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming on Wednesday said the Bangladesh-China relations have achieved a rapid development.

"The political mutual trust between our two sides has continued to deepen, the cultural exchange and education cooperation as an integral part of our deeply-rooted bilateral relations, have been active and fruitful," he said.

Currently, the envoy said, China has become one of the top destinations for Bangladeshi students to study abroad and students are one of the main cornerstones of the friendship between the two peoples.

"All of you are well aware of the journey to development that our two countries are having together and shoulder to shoulder," said the Ambassador.

However, he said, there are many avenues of cooperation yet to be explored. "In Bangladesh’s mission of poverty eradication, China will always be by its side through sharing experience and resources."

The Ambassador was addressing a webinar on poverty alleviation organized by the Association of Bangladesh-China Alumni (ABCA).

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Education Minister Dr Dipu Mon spoke as the chief guest highlighting the relations between the two countries.

Prof Dr. Shamsul Alam, State Minister for Planning, Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, President of ABCA, and a very good friend of China, Ambassador Chai Xi, former Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh, Professor Dr. Li Xiaoyun, Professor Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Professor Dr. Mohammad Mainul Islam, Vice President of ABCA, Dr. Md. Shahabul Haque, General Secretary of ABCA, joined the programme.

He said Bangladesh has proved that with commitment and determination of the government and the people, it can come out of poverty and emerge as a low middle-income country within only a span of four decades as proclaimed by the World Bank in 2020, which says, “Globally, Bangladesh is a model for poverty reduction.”

Since 2000, Bangladesh has cut poverty in half, lifting more than 25 million people out of poverty.

"The success story is being broadened in new chapters even during the pandemic under the proper management of the government and owing to the diligence of Bangladeshi people."

The Ambassador gave credit to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who inherited the charismatic and visionary leadership from her father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the Father of the Nation.

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Quoting Chinese President Xi Jinping, Ambassador Li said, “The youth is the future of the country and the hope of the nation. The prosperity of the youth leads to the prosperity of the country, and the strong youth makes the country strong.”

The educational exchanges and cooperation between China and Bangladesh are related to the future of the cause of friendship between our two countries, said the envoy.

Ambassador Li said Bangladesh, a developing country sharing the similar story of struggle for freedom and self-determination with China, has been one of the biggest development success stories in the Global South.