For long-term and strategic cooperation between Bangladesh and China, cultural exchanges between the two countries should be increased, Chinese Vice-Premier Liu Yandong said in a lecture at Dhaka University yesterday.

"The web of cultural exchanges of the two sides should be extended from district and upazilas to villages," she said at Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban.

Students, teachers, and government officials of both countries attended the lecture, after which   Yandong  was honoured with a crest by DU Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique.

In her speech, Yandong announced that the Chinese government would provide another 100 scholarships annually to Bangladeshi students in addition to the current ones.

She also said China would provide the Chinese research institute at DU with education materials and accessories worth 1 million renminbi or Tk 1.25 crore and would invite 100 Bangladeshi students to the summer camp titled "Bridge of Chinese Language" on behalf of the head office of Confucius Institute.

"You can enjoy the Chinese culture and hospitality of China's people," she said.

Starting her lecture with a "Shubho Sokal" (good morning) in Bangla, the vice-premier talked about the historical relationship between the two countries and DU's role in strengthening the bond.

She mentioned DU conferring honorary doctorates in law on former vice-chairperson of National People's Congress standing committee Soong Ching Ling and former premier Zhou Enlai, who visited the university in 1965 and in 1956 respectively.

Besides her 34-minute written speech in Chinese, which was translated into Bangla, Yandong was moved by a huge presence of students and spontaneously added three minutes, saying how DU's environment reminded her of her sophomore years.

She also talked about growing trade ties between the countries, and said that in the next five years China would import $10 trillion worth of goods and make investment of $500 billion globally.

Eyeing the investment potential in Bangladesh, the Chinese education ministry has decided to increase the number of Chinese students learning Bangla, she said.