China will always stay beside Bangladesh in its needs that included supporting it in joining the BRICS and ensuring permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday (August 23, 2023) evening gave the assurance in a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Hotel Hilton Sandton here on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit. The Chinese president also gave assurance of cooperation in making Bangladesh a developed, prosperous Sonar Bangla and taking initiative to quicken the signing of the Preferential-free Trade Agreement with Bangladesh and reducing the imbalance in China-Bangladesh trade. Also read: Unhindered democracy spurs Bangladesh’s advancement: PM Hasina Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters after the bilateral talks between the two leaders. During the meeting, he said, both the leaders invited one another to visit their respective countries at their convenient time and they have agreed to this respect. “I will always support you (Sheikh Hasina) as you can join the BRICS,” Momen quoted the Chinese president as saying l. Regarding the Rohingya issue, Xi wants to resolve the Rohingya issue through tripartite engagement of China, Bangladesh and Myanmar and assured that they will always support Bangladesh to this end. Also read: Join our journey of becoming a trillion-dollar economy: PM Hasina tells South African businesses “China will help Bangladesh in bringing a permanent solution to the Rohingya issue. ---we don’t want instability in the region,” he was quoted as saying by the foreign minister. Bangladesh prime minister said that her government wants to repatriate Rohingyas to their homeland citing that they are becoming threats for the peace of the region as many of them are engaged in illegal drugs and arms trading. Also read: PM Hasina reaches Johannesburg to attend BRICS summit “Peace is imperative for development,” she said. Xi also expressed his country’s keenness to help Bangladesh in the development of energy, renewable energy and infrastructure. “China will help you materialise your dream to build a developed and prosperous ‘Sonar Bangla’ at the quickest possible time.” Hasina also sought the Chinese president’s help in quick implementation of some Chinese funded projects which are now being stuck for fund crisis while the Chinese leader is assured of looking into the matters. Read more: BRICS Summit 2023 unveils potential geopolitical paradigm shift: Modern Diplomacy During the talks, the prime inister stressed the need for reducing the trade gap between Bangladesh and China citing that Bangladesh has currently imported Chinese goods worth about 20 billion US dollars every year while China imported Bangladeshi goods worth only 700 million US dollars. The Chinese president in reply said they must address the issue and said that China has given duty and quota free access to 98 percent Bangladeshi products to the Chinese market. Hasina said that the trade gap between Bangladesh and China will be reduced if some Chinese investments come to Bangladesh. She also stressed the need for signing the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two countries. “We will take measures to quicken the signing of the Preferential Trade Agreement between the countries,” Xi said in reply. Read more: BRICS Summit: Hasina, Modi likely to hold meeting on the sidelines Momen said that Bangladesh has expressed its eagerness to export fresh fruits such as mango, jackfruit, guava, fresh vegetables and cattle and poultry feeds to China. The Chinese leader assured them that they must consider it, Momen said. Bangladesh premier invited the Chinese President to visit Bangladesh to witness the opening of the Padma Rail Bridge to be held in October next. In reply, the Chinese president said that he will definitely come to Bangladesh. “But the time of visit will be fixed through talks between foreign ministers of both the countries.” Read more: 2023 BRICS Summit: Lot of interest in how new members are chosen and which countries would be eligible Xi Jingping also invited Bangladesh PM to visit China and in reply Sheikh Hasina said she will visit China. “But it may take time as she will be busy with the election campaign as the national election is knocking the door, the foreign minister said. Sheikh Hasina urged the Chinese President to widen the scope for Bangladeshi students to study in China while Xi assured of looking into the matter. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, PM's daughter and Thematic Ambassador of Climate Vulnerable Forum and Chairperson of the National Advisory Committee for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders Saima Wazed, PM's Principal Secretary Md Tofazzel Hossain Miah and Senior Secretary of Foreign Affairs Masud Bin Momen, were present in the meeting. Read more: Developed countries should be happy that BRICS would like to help developing nations: Momen

As the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa get ready to meet for the 15th BRICS summit, on August 22–24, observers have high hopes for what will come out of the meeting. It will be the first time that representatives of the five emerging economies will meet in person – in South Africa – since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many other countries are looking to BRICS as a way to help their own economies recover as well, according to an article published today by China Daily. It was shared by the Chinese embassy in Dhaka. Since the group’s growth is likely to be announced at the BRICS summit, there is a lot of interest in how new members are chosen and which countries would be eligible. The article quotes Philani Mthembu, executive director of the Institute for Global Dialogue at University of South Africa, saying the fact that the summit will be BRICS’ first physical meeting since the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the member countries are making progress towards recovery, even though the Ukraine war has affected all. BRICS Summit: PM Hasina’s meetings on sidelines yet to be confirmed, says foreign ministry spokesperson ‘BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development, and Inclusive Multilateralism’ is the theme of this year’s summit. Mthembu remarked on the multilateral aspect: “There is an acknowledgment that multilateralism has been in crisis in the last few years. It has not achieved the things it set out to do… One of the key focus areas in the theme is strengthening inclusive multilateralism. It is important that South Africa brings an African focus into the theme.” Kenyan scholar Cavince Adhere, who studies international relations and focuses on China-Africa development cooperation, said that African countries expect BRICS to give them more chances to trade and invest with member countries. PM Hasina formally invited to attend BRICS Summit in South Africa Noting that the people of the BRICS countries make up more than 40% of the world’s population as a whole, he said that access to these large markets could help many emerging economies in Africa grow and develop quickly. The China Daily article quoted Adhere as saying, “In an increasingly polarized world, BRICS can create an enabling avenue for African countries to fashion a more inclusive global economic and political order, which has been dominated by Western powers.” Opposition to BRICS proves BNP is against development of the country: Info Minister He said the fact that more than 40 countries have said they want to join BRICS at the summit shows how popular the group is, since most countries think that if they join, they can solve their development problems. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will attend the BRICS Summit 2023, the foreign ministry has confirmed. Bangladesh has received the formal invitation from the host South Africa. The summit will be hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre (SCC) in Johannesburg. Earlier, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had said that Bangladesh is likely to become a member of BRICS in August this year. “BRICS leaders are thinking of taking some emerging economies – around eight new countries including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Bangladesh,” he told reporters. Bangladesh, India have stepped into new era that will help both economies: Shahriar Alam