United News of Bangladesh

The 9th China-South Asia Expo kicked off on Thursday in Kunming, the capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, with a focus on strengthening trade ties, fostering innovation, and deepening regional cooperation. Under the theme "Solidarity and Coordination for Common Development," the five-day event has attracted participants from more than 70 countries and international organisations, including Bangladesh. All South and Southeast Asian nations participated in the event, reports CGTN. Across the expansive expo pavilions, exhibitors from the region are engaging in business matchmaking, showcasing their products, and exploring new partnerships. "China is a close friend of Bangladesh. For a very long time, China has had a lot of investments in our country. And the new interim government has also provided many opportunities for foreign investors," said Mohammad Foyshol Azad, Chairman of the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh (TCB). He said investors have the opportunity to invest in the agriculture and other industrial sectors, such as the ready-made garment (RMG) sector. "We hope that in the future, the collaboration between China and Bangladesh will be even stronger and more friendly," said Azad. Alimuzzaman, an exhibitor from Bangladesh, attending the event for the first time.

Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Monday afternoon left Dhaka for China to discuss a wide range of issues and ways to strengthen Dhaka's economic partnership with Beijing. China has already invited Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus to pay an official visit to Beijing in March this year with Dhaka seeing it positively, said a diplomatic source. Bangladesh and China are preparing to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2025. Adviser Hossain is paying the visit at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in what is  described as “very important first bilateral visit” after the formation of the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Dr Yunus in August last year. He will have engagements with Chinese officials on January 21-23. He is scheduled to return home on January 24. Bangladesh is likely to request China to lower loan interest rates, extend repayment terms by 30 years and waive commitment fees to bolster economic cooperation. Deeper ties with Russia sought in meeting with new ambassador The issues along with budget support will come up in a big way during Hossain's visit. "...all economic issues will come up for discussion. Some issues are very important. Bangladesh's trade and economic relations with China are very important," the adviser said while talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week. He said they will discuss budgetary support, explore China's assistance, expedite loan disbursement for Bangladeshi projects, and seek a full withdrawal of the commitment fee. A commitment fee in China is a charge made by a lender to a borrower for keeping a line of credit available. Bangladesh sees Hossain’s maiden bilateral visit to China as a “great opportunity” to further strengthen and deepen the bilateral relations with Beijing giving an outline for the future cooperation. Asked about the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the adviser said there are some issues that will continue to be discussed with a positive approach and noted that Bangladesh’s relationship with China is not just government-specific. The GDI is a multilateral development initiative proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2021.

China on Sunday conveyed to Bangladesh that they are ready to sign "implementation plan" on exchange of hydrological information with Bangladesh which was previously sent by the Bangladesh side. Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed him that the Chinese side is ready to sign this document during the bilateral visit of Adviser Hossain to China. The Ambassador also apprised the Foreign Adviser that China is "seriously considering" to lower down its interest rates for Bangladesh. The Chinese Ambassador said that China "will do everything" for the benefit of the people of Bangladesh. During the meeting, the Chinese Ambassador briefed the Adviser regarding his first ever upcoming bilateral visit to China scheduled to take place on January 20-24, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. ‘Will lead consensus-building commission’, Dr Yunus tells Australian envoy Both sides hoped that the upcoming visit of Foreign Adviser to China will open up a new chapter of cooperation between the two friendly countries. The Ambassador touched upon the issues to be discussed during the official talks led by the Foreign Adviser of Bangladesh and his Chinese counterpart. While highlighting the importance of the visit, the Ambassador informed the Adviser that the people of his country are eagerly waiting to welcome the Foreign Adviser to China. China is the all-weather, time-tested friend of Bangladesh which firmly stands with the people of Bangladesh irrespective of its government, he said. He reaffirmed that China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bangladesh and reiterated that China would continue its support for the stability, reforms and democratic transition and development initiatives of Bangladesh. Standing beside Bangladesh with the spirit of good friend and neighborhood, China said it will continue its support for the early repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals (FDMN) to their motherland in Myanmar. Shedding light on the importance of making roadmap for the repatriation of the FDMN (The Rohingyas) to Myanmar, the Foreign Adviser said that Bangladesh expects China to play a very strong and proactive role helping Bangladesh for the repatriation of the FDMN (The Rohingyas) to Myanmar. Referring to the bilateral relations with China, the Foreign Adviser reiterated that Bangladesh always supports ‘One China Principle’ and in the eve of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China, this visit will strengthen deep understanding , friendship, and vibrant partnership  advancing the strategic as well as technical cooperation between the two nations. The Foreign Adviser said that Bangladesh appreciates 100% Duty Free Quota Free market access of Bangladeshi products to China and expressed his hope that this market access would continue till 2029 (after the post-LDC period for 03 years). Russian Ambassador reaffirms support for stronger Bangladesh-Russia ties In response, the Ambassador said that along with mangoes, this year Bangladeshi guava and jackfruits will also have the market access to China. The Adviser asked for Chinese high tech energy efficient supports for developing fruits storage and preservation capacity in Bangladesh. He also underscored the importance of expanding bilateral cooperation in various sections. The Adviser sought Chinese support for adding up more railway coaches for the passengers under capacity building initiatives of Bangladesh Railways. Referring to the importance of cooperation in health sector, the Foreign Affairs Adviser mentioned that Bangladesh is ready to provide land and other logistics for setting-up a full-fledged tertiary level Chinese hospital in Purbachal and also requested China to designate at least three to four top notch hospitals in Kunming so that Bangladesh nationals can go there and get better treatment. The Foreign Adviser thanked China for their engagements with the development initiatives of Bangladesh and expressed his hope that the injured students will soon get their treatment in China.

Bangladesh and China have agreed to work with “patience” to achieve their development goals ignoring “provocation and obstruction” noting that peace and stability are required for a country’s further progress. While briefing media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday afternoon, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen described Chinese  Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s just concluded Dhaka visit as “politically very significant.” The Chinese side assured that they will always remain beside Bangladesh in its development journey and will work together to take the existing good relations to a new height, he said. Responding to a question, Momen said there has been discussion on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) but no talks on Global Security Initiative (GSI), Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or new Chinese loans.

Describing China as a trusted partner in socio-economic development of Bangladesh, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for exploring more avenues to take the strategic partnership between the two countries to a new height. “We would like to explore more avenues to take the Bangladesh-China strategic partnership to new heights and also work together to address the regional and global issues for peace, security, stability and development,” she said. The Prime Minister said this in her prerecorded message shared on Thursday afternoon at a function arranged, marking 100 years of founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).