Chinese support for Bangladesh's growth

China has promised all possible forms of support to the Sheikh Hasina government as it tries to turn Bangladesh into a middle income nation.

The Chinese Vice Premier Lio Yandong met Sheikh Hasina on Sunday during a visit to Dhaka.

"The Chinese leader was all praises for Sheikh Hasina's leadership and Bangladesh's economic performance under her, specially the country's ability to maintain GDP growth at 6 percent plus," said the prime minister's Press Secretary A K M Shameem Chowdhuri.

He said the Chinese Vice Premier expressed the hope that Bangladesh would become a middle income country by 2021 .

China would provide all necessary support, Choudhuri quoted Lio Yandong as saying.

He said the Chinese vice premier proposed relocation of China's labour intensive industries in Bangladesh which could benefit both countries.

Lio also extended an invitation to Sheikh Hasina to visit China at the earliest on behalf of Premier Li Keqiang.

Bangladesh and China signed three MOUs, two cooperation agreement and one exchange of notes in the field of education, media and trade .

These were signed in presence of the Chinese vice premier and Prime Minister Hasina at Ganabhaban to improve bilateral ties between the two countries..

The MoU on Cooperation in Education between the ministries of education of the two countries was signed by Education Secretary of Bangladesh Md Nazrul Islam Khan and Chinese Education Minister Yuan Guiren.

The Ministry of Information of Bangladesh and the State Administration of Press, Publication of China signed a MoU for cooperation in the fields of radio, film and television. Information Secretary Martuza Ahmed and Vice Minister of China Tong Gang signed the MoU.

Another MoU between the Dhaka University and Beijing Foreign Studies University was signed for cooperation in the areas of exchange of students, faculty, scholars and administrative staff, research collaboration and sharing of academic materials and information.

Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique and President of BFSU Peng Long signed the MoU.

Southeast University of Bangladesh and Wuhan Textile University, China signed an agreement for Cooperation in joint undergraduate programme on textile engineering. Southeast University Vice Chancellor Prof Anwar Hossain and WTU Chancellor Wei Yiliang signed the agreement.

The other cooperation agreement was signed between BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology, Bangladesh and Wuhan Textile University, China for joint undergraduate programme on fashion design. Founder chairman of BGMEA University Muzaffar U Siddique and WTU Chancellor Wei Yiliang signed the instrument.

The lone exchange of notes between Bangladesh and China on container inspection equipment project was signed by ERD Senior Secretary Mohammad Mejbahuddin and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ma Mingqiang.