“As we’re a transitioning economy, it’s imperative that our bilateral ties reflect the potential opportunities we’ve to deepen our cooperation in various sectors,” Fahim told a discussion on Bangladesh-China (Dalian) Trade and Investment Promotion.
It was organised by CCPIT or China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (Dalian sub-council) for the interaction between the trade body leaders and entrepreneurs of the two countries.
FBCCI Senior Vice President Montakim Ashraf and other leaders of the apex body attended the programme.
Nearly 50 FBCCI officials and entrepreneurs are visiting China as part of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s entourage.
Hasina was attending World Economic Forum’s annual gathering of politicians, investors, scholars and journalists from emerging economies in Dalian, which is popularly called Summer Davos.
During Tuesday’s seminar, both CCPIT and FBCCI leaders agreed that Bangladesh and China have more to utilise the opportunities for more investment and trade partnership.
The two trade bodies also signed an MoU to promote trade and investment between the two countries and organise more interaction between the members of the two trade bodies, according to the FBCCI.
Fahim said Chinese businesses, especially investors from Dalian, could tap the opportunities to relocate their businesses by investing in 100 economic zones planned by the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina who is also visiting China.
He said business partnership between entrepreneurs of Bangladesh and Liaoning province where Dalian is located has an immense potential in knowledge sharing, joint research on high-tech, development and innovation.
The region is home to 56 development zones.
Fahim mentioned that in 2018 Bangladesh registered record level of FDI growth at about 67.9 percent reaching 3.61 billion US dollars—a fact that demonstrates Bangladesh is increasingly becoming a preferable destination for investors. “So, I urge you to come and invest,” he said.
Dalian, a port city in the Liaoning region which is located at the southern end of Liaodong peninsula in northeastern China, is largely unexplored by Bangladeshi businesspeople.
The coastal city is a growing economy with a population of nearly 6 million and it is one of the most important cities for harbor, trade, industry and tour in China.
It is connected with about 300 ports across the world.