Dhaka: Chinese President Xi Jinpin on Friday said there is ample scope to expand ties between Bangladesh and China in the areas of economic, trade, agriculture and industrial sectors.
He also assured of considering the matter of increasing Bangladesh’s export to Chinese market with due importance. UNB News Agency Reported.
The assurance came when the visiting Chinese President held a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid at the Cabinet Hall of Bangabhaban on Friday evening.
Earlier, President Hamid urged his Chinese counterpart to allow all Bangladeshi products duty- and quota-free entry into the Chinese market to address the current trade imbalance.
President’s Press Secretary Joinal Abedin briefed the media after the meeting.
President Xi said China, as a development partner, will continue its cooperation to Bangladesh. There has been massive positive development in Bangladesh over the last six years, especially socioeconomic development, he added.
The Chinese President appreciated Bangladesh’s economic stability and mentioned that Bangladesh is a very important country in South Asia.
He said the diplomatic relations that established 41 years ago is being expanded day by day.
Referring to his meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, President Xi said they agreed to work together and have a master plan to expand the relations further.
President Hamid said the Chinese President’s visit will elevate ‘Closer Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation’ between the two countries to a new level of ‘Strategic Partnership of Cooperation’ through opening up a new era in relations.
“As you’ve your ‘Chinese dream’, we also have ‘Vision 2021’ to become a middle-income country by 2021 and ‘Vision 2041’ to become a developed country by 2041. We consider China as a trusted partner in this pursuit,” he said.
President Hamid said they commit themselves to working together closely in bilateral, regional and international arena to make strategic relations a meaningful one. “As such, this is the very first for Bangladesh to have strategic partnership with any country in the world,” he added.
At the meeting, President Hamid introduced his delegation members to the Chinese President delegation.
The President hoped that Bangladesh-China relations will flourish into a new era of friendship, cooperation and mutual prosperity through the visit.
Mentioning that China is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner, Hamid said the bilateral trade between two countries has been growing steadily.
He recalled that the visits of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to China in the 1950s had laid the foundation of the bridge between the two peoples. “I recall my visit to China in November 2014 during which I had very fruitful discussions with you,” he added.
President Hamid said Bangladesh and China enjoy excellent bilateral relations and traditional, time-tested friendship and cooperation.
He said Bangladesh’s relationship with China is based on the principles of mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and cooperation for mutual benefit, and peaceful co-existence. “We’ve always supported China’s core issues of national interest, particularly its ‘One China Policy’.
Hamid said Bangladesh highly value the Chinese cooperation in the areas of infrastructure development, trade, investment, agriculture, energy and power, ICT and telecommunications which has made positive impacts on socio-economic progress.
The President wished his Chinese counterpart and his family’s good health, long life and happiness, and the warm, brotherly people of China, peace, progress and prosperity.
Earlier, Hamid welcomed Xi at Bangabhaban when he reached there at 6:45pm.
