Foreign Advisor Touhid leaves for China

He will meet with his Chinese counterpart and a business delegation from Shanghai

Foreign Advisor Touhid Hossain has embarked on his maiden visit to China, his first official foreign trip since his appointment.

He left Dhaka on a three-day visit at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday afternoon. He is scheduled to return home on Jan 24, according to a statement issued by the foreign ministry.

Earlier, the ministry’s spokesperson Rafiqul Alam said Touhid will hold a bilateral meeting with the Chinese foreign minister to discuss issues of bilateral interest.

He said the visit will review the progress of ongoing cooperation between the two countries in different fields to chart out the future course of bilateral ties.

These include enhancing economic cooperation, expanding trade and investment, cooperation in agriculture, education, infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable solutions to the Rohingya crisis.

In July 2024, when the movement demanding quota reform in government jobs began to gain momentum in Bangladesh, then prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited Beijing at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. She visited the Chinese capital from Jul 8 to 10, two weeks after she went to India.

However, Hasina returned home a day ahead of schedule.

She met Chinese President Xi Jinping and Qiang. A total of 21 Memoranda of Understanding, or MoUs, were signed between the two countries and seven projects were announced during the visit.

WHAT’S ON DISCUSSION DURING THE VISIT?

At a briefing called to highlight the experience of her visit to China, Hasina said China had agreed to give Bangladesh the equivalent of $2 billion in funds, alongside interest-free, concessional, and commercial loans.

Asked whether the discussion on budgetary support and signing of any agreement will be on the agenda of the advisor's visit in the changed political context after the ouster of the Hasina government in the civil uprising, Rafiqul said: "There is still scope for additions and deletions.

"Bangladesh and China are going to celebrate the golden jubilee of their diplomatic relations in 2025. Both countries have taken various initiatives in this regard. The visit will mark the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.”

“The annual trade volume between the countries is around $25 billion, although the balance of trade is not in Bangladesh's favour. The visit is expected to discuss the reconstruction of the trade balance as well as increasing Chinese investment in different sectors of Bangladesh."

In addition, Touhid will hold a meeting with the business representatives of China's Shanghai in a bid to increase Chinese investment in Bangladesh.