Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Thursday morning met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, who is attending the ongoing Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025 in Boao, and discussed issues of shared interests and mutual cooperation. The meeting was held at Bo’ao State Guest House and lasted for over 30 minutes. Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, had separate meetings earlier on Wednesday with other foreign leaders who are attending the conference. Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China Chen Huaiyu met the Chief Adviser today (Thursday), a senior official told UNB. After the meeting, he will go to the BFA International Convention Centre to address the opening plenary of the Bo’ao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025. Zhang Jun, Secretary General of Bo’ao Forum for Asia, Ban Ki-moon, Chairman of Bo’ao Forum for Asia and Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of Lao PDR will also speak at the session while Ding Xuexiang, Vice Premier of the State Council of China, will deliver the keynote speech. On the sidelines of the Forum, Dr Yunus will hold bilateral meetings with the former Secretary-General of the United Nations and the current Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister of Lao PDR, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, the Director-General of FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) and several other notable participants of the conference, said Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin. Themed "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future", the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 is being held here from March 25 to 28 in Boao, South China's Hainan Province. Russia keen to help Bangladesh ensure food, energy security: Ambassador Khozin Boao is a coastal town in the city of Qionghai, Hainan. The Chief Adviser is on a four-day visit through which Dr Yunus thinks the relationship between Bangladesh and China would further be deepened. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources; Road Transport and Bridges; and Railways Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, High Representative to Chief Adviser Khalilur Rahman, Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed and CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam are accompanying the Chief Adviser. The Chief Adviser is scheduled to leave Qionghai Bo’ao International Airport for Beijing at 7pm (China time), an official told UNB. Dr Yunus will reach Beijing International Airport at around 10:55pm (China time) after approximately four hours journey by air. The Chief Adviser will be received by Sun Weidong, Vice Minister of China. Kids will also greet Dr Yunus with flowers. On Friday morning, Dr Yunus will be at the Great Hall of China amid static guard of honour. After the meeting, Dr Yunus and Chinese President Xi Jinping will pose for a joint photo. They will discuss various strategic bilateral issues between Bangladesh and China, trade and investment growth, agriculture, infrastructure, support for renewable energy sectors, and resolving the Rohingya issue, as well as overall issues of mutual interest between the two countries, Jashim Uddin said. Dr Yunus will participate in an event called "Investment Dialogue" with Chinese business leaders, organised to inform the Chinese investors about the business-friendly environment in Bangladesh and attract Chinese investment in Bangladesh. The Chief Adviser will participate in three roundtable discussions on different themes - Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Investment, Bangladesh 2.0 Manufacturing and Market Opportunities and Social Business, Youth Entrepreneurship and the World of Three Zeros at the same venue, where he will exchange views with CEOs of various companies, experienced individuals from the Social Business Circle, high-ranking officials of renowned Chinese companies, business representatives and the young generation of Bangladeshis and Chinese. Putin eyes Dhaka-Moscow productive ties to strengthen regional security, stability On Saturday morning, the Chief Adviser will visit Peking University and receive the Honorary Doctorate. After receiving the Honorary Doctorate Degree, the Chief Adviser will deliver a speech to the audience. In the afternoon, Dr Yunus will give exclusive interview to China Media Group (CMG), a renowned Chinese media organisation, and Xinhua (likely) where various aspects of the multidimensional relations between Bangladesh and China and the future direction of Bangladesh's position on various contemporary international issues will be shared. The Chief Adviser will attend a dinner to be hosted by the Ambassador of Bangladesh to China. Bilateral Instruments to Signed Bangladesh and China are set to sign several agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) as Dr Yunus and President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting in Beijing on March 28. The bilateral cooperation documents are likely to be signed in the areas of human resource development, economic and technical assistance, cultural and sports cooperation and cooperation between the media.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus was warmly welcomed upon his arrival here on Wednesday to attend Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 before his bilateral talks with President Xi Jingping scheduled for March 28. Vice Governor of Hainan Province, together with Bangladesh Ambassador to China Md Nazmul Islam received the Chief Adviser upon his arrival at Qionghai Bo'ao International Airport by a special China Southern flight at around 4:15pm (BD Time), Chief Adviser's Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder told UNB. Kids also greeted the Chief Adviser with flowers. Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources; Road Transport and Bridges; and Railways Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, High Representative to Chief Adviser Khalilur Rahman, Principal Coordinator on SDGs Affairs and Senior Secretary Lamiya Morshed and CA's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam are accompanying the Chief Adviser. Themed "Asia in the Changing World: Towards a Shared Future", the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 is being held here from March 25 to 28 in Boao, South China's Hainan Province. Boao is a coastal town in the city of Qionghai, Hainan. This year's conference is expected to draw about 2,000 delegates from over 60 countries and regions and more than 1,100 journalists from about 30 countries and regions. The Chief Adviser is on a four-day official visit through which Dr Yunus thinks the relationship between Bangladesh and China would further be deepened. Dhaka-Beijing relations to be deepened further: Dr Yunus A bilateral meeting will be held between the delegations of the two countries led by Chief Adviser Dr Yunus and Executive Vice Premier of the State Council of China Ding Xuexiang on Thursday morning, just before the formal opening of the Boao Forum for Asia, said Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin. On the sidelines of the Forum, Dr Yunus will hold bilateral meetings with the former Secretary-General of the United Nations and the current Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister of Lao PDR, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, the Director-General of FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) and several other notable participants of the conference. Talks with President Xi on March 28 On March 28, a bilateral meeting will be held between the delegations of the two countries led by Chief Adviser Dr Yunus and President of China Xi Jingping at the Great Hall of China. The meeting will discuss various strategic bilateral issues between Bangladesh and China, trade and investment growth, agriculture, infrastructure, support for renewable energy sectors, and resolving the Rohingya issue, as well as overall issues of mutual interest between the two countries, Jashim Uddin said. After the meeting, he will participate in an event called "Investment Dialogue" with Chinese business leaders, organised to inform the Chinese investors about the business-friendly environment in Bangladesh and attract Chinese investment in Bangladesh. JICA signs Tk 6,700 crore loan deals with Bangladesh for 2 projects The Chief Adviser will participate in three roundtable discussions on different themes - Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Investment, Bangladesh 2.0 Manufacturing and Market Opportunities and Social Business, Youth Entrepreneurship and the World of Three Zeros at the same venue, where he will exchange views with CEOs of various companies, experienced individuals from the Social Business Circle, high-ranking officials of renowned Chinese companies, business representatives and the young generation of Bangladeshis and Chinese.

As the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) Annual Conference 2025 begins, the world is at the tipping point of profound geopolitical and economic transformations. The growing disparities between Western governments and the inefficacy of governance are now a global core debate; most Global South nations are now focusing on developing interdependent regional cooperation. The shift in dynamics is indicative of the Global South taking an increasingly influential position that works to realize the vision of a group of states that are intent on creating their own path of modernization and development. The Global South presents a hopeful atmosphere in Asia by leading the way in establishing a path for sustainable economic growth. Over the years, the BFA has established itself as a leading platform for dialogue on global issues, ranging from trade and finance to technology, climate action and sustainable development. As a global platform for countries of the region to build cooperation, mutual trust and forge solutions of common benefit to the wider Global South, the forum is the first of its kind. The rise of China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other emerging economies continues, highlighting the Global South's increasing impact on shaping a future world with a global power balance. Meanwhile, Europe and the U.S. are beset by growing political turmoil, and the Middle East struggles with instability; nations in Asia engage in increasingly constructive dialogue on shared interests, such as China-Japan-South Korea trilateral talks. These efforts highlight the potential of regional cooperation to surpass old divisions and build new paths forward. The rapid economic growth of Global South countries demonstrates that the Global South is not merely a passive player but an active participant in the global economy. These nations are uniquely positioned to drive innovation and modernization by developing strategies suited to their specific conditions while responding to the worldwide demand for progress. The Global South's economic rise is no longer a prediction; it's a fact. Today (as of 2023), these nations alone account for 42 percent of the world's GDP, and this figure has been steadily increasing as emerging economies declined and significant Asian economies grew. Emerging markets, of which many in the Global South, including the powerhouses of China, Brazil and South Africa, now account for over 50 percent of global GDP in 2024. Over the last two decades, more than 1 billion people in developing countries have been lifted out of extreme poverty, a testament to the Global South’s capacity for transformation. Yet, this momentum must be harnessed strategically to bridge the North-South divide. During the past decade, the Asian region has undergone a profound transformation across multiple sectors, amplifying the Global South's potential, out of which decentralized supply chains have emerged, linking landlocked nations from East Asia to Central Asia and Europe via expanding rail networks, such as the China-Europe Railway Express, which has grown to connect more than 220 cities across 25 European countries since its inception. Simultaneously, the East-West sea routes have seen significant development with the rise of major ports like Hambantota in Sri Lanka, Gwadar in Pakistan, new facilities in Chittagong Port in Bangladesh and Tuas Maga Port in Singapore. In India, new greenfield ports are built with associated infrastructure, such as railway lines through the Sagarmala project and the National Maritime Development Program, which emphasize Asian growth. These developments not only enhance connectivity for landlocked states like Nepal and Central Asian nations but also position Asia as a hub for global commerce, building an antifragile trade system with an alternative towards uniform East-West shipping routes. However, modernization for the Global South cannot be a rerun of the models used in previous decades. The future course must suit these regional nations' unique opportunities and challenges. As Chinese President Xi Jinping underlined at the 2023 BFA, the future of the Global South must be based on values that advance peace, security and collaboration. In tackling security issues, his six pledges under the Global Security Initiative emphasize the significance of inclusiveness, peaceful dispute resolution, sovereignty respect, and comprehensive and cooperative security. These ideas are essential for maintaining political stability and creating an atmosphere that supports economic development and advancement. In particular, the digital transformation presents vast opportunities for the Global South nations to overcome traditional development stages. Countries like China, India and Vietnam are already making strides in technology and digital infrastructure, which can accelerate their economic and social development. At the same time, fostering innovation in green technologies and sustainable industries will help the Global South nations meet the challenges of climate change while ensuring future prosperity.   Yasiru Ranaraja, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is a researcher on maritime affairs and expert on Belt and Road Initiative development. He is also the founding director of the Belt Road Initiative Sri Lanka (BRISL), an international development organization and think tank in Sri Lanka.