Chinese FM’s visit ends

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has left Dhaka ending his three-day maiden visit to Bangladesh.

His visit followed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Beijing sojourn in June where both sides struck a number of deals to take relations forward.

Bangladesh also offered a special economic zone for China’s businesses.

The foreign minister’s visit was aimed at reviewing the progress of those and map out the details of a joint celebration marking the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

Apart from a meeting with his counterpart, Wang also met President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Opposition Raushon Ershad, and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque saw him off at the airport on Monday at about 3.30pm, Nripendra Chandra Debnath, director of the foreign ministry’s External Publicity Wing told, bdnews24.com.

During the meeting on Sunday, he responded “positively” to a Bangladeshi proposal to build a road connecting Chittagong and Kunming via Cox’s Bazar and Myanmar.

He also proposed to begin negotiations for free-trade agreement (FTA) to narrow down the trade imbalance.

He also reiterated China’s interest to build a deep-sea port in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh invited the Chinese President to join the joint celebration of diplomatic bonhomie next year.

Wang urged Bangladesh to act as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia during his meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday, her Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury later told reporters.

BNP leaders claimed he suggested a dialogue to end political differences with the Awami League during his meeting with Khaleda Zia.

Jatiya Party said he told them that “China never interfered with any country's internal affairs and never will” during the meeting with the leader of the opposition Raushon Ershad.

Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali is expected to brief the media at about 4pm.

'Only friendship and cooperation'

Current Chinese President Xi Jinping had told Sheikh Hasina during her visit in June that his country wanted a better strategic relationship with Bangladesh.

He had said the ties between the countries were historical and recalled Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s visit to China in 1952.

Beijing has taken ‘China-South Asia policy’ as it calls 2014 “the beginning year of China’s comprehensively deepening reform era”.

The foreign minister Wang has pointed out that there had been “no historical disputes and conflicts” between China and Bangladesh.

It is “only friendship and cooperation”, he reportedly told his Bangladesh counterpart Ali when both leaders met on Sunday, according to the Chinese media.

He promised “to expand practical cooperation and people-to-people exchanges”.

He said China was ready to share its “advanced experience and expertise” in agricultural production, sci-tech and mechanics.

He also conveyed that China was ready to help Bangladesh train management personnel, increase investment and help Bangladesh develop its electricity networks.

China would invite 100 Bangladeshi young people to visit the country next year and would provide 160 scholarships to Bangladeshi students. It will also help train 100 Bangladeshi Chinese teachers.