Xi focuses on expanding trade
Chinese President Xi Jinping yesterday 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 exports to Chinese market with due importance.
The assurance came when the visiting Chinese president held a meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Abdul Hamid at the Cabinet Hall of Bangabhaban in Dhaka.
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 Hamid's Press Secretary Joynal Abedin briefed the media after the meeting.
Xi said China, as a development partner, will continue its cooperation with Bangladesh. There has been massive positive development in Bangladesh over the last six years, especially socioeconomic development, he added.
Meanwhile, 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, Xi said they agreed to work together and have a master plan to expand the relations further.
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”.
“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.
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.”
Hamid said the bilateral trade between the 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 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.
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