Bangladesh-China friendship
WE are pleased to note the progress made during the recent trip of the chief adviser to China, and are hopeful that the concrete rewards of a better relationship with the economic superpower will soon be evident.
Bangladesh is fortunate to have China in such close proximity. China's economic growth has been nothing short of phenomenal and there is no doubt that it is well on its way to becoming a new superpower.
The fact that it is so close to Bangladesh is therefore a great opportunity for us that we should not miss out on. Friendly and productive relations between the two countries must be a corner-stone of Bangladesh's foreign policy going forward, and in this regard it is good to see the government taking pro-active steps.
Chinese technological and managerial expertise can certainly benefit Bangladesh, as can Chinese investment. All steps on our part to facilitate these should be taken. Thus we applaud the idea of setting up a special economic zone for Chinese investors, and hope that it would be fast-tracked.
Indeed, with China now moving away from garments and footwear into more lucrative manufacturings, we should do everything we can to capitalise on this and move as much of that business to Bangladesh as possible.
Chinese assistance with nuclear technology and building of infra-structure is definitely something that should also be welcomed. Similarly, greater connectivity between Bangladesh and China is imperative, and if we can work together for a road link between Kunming and Chittagong and permit the Chinese to use Chittagong port or help to build another facility further south for regional use, as has been discussed in the past, the benefits to both countries would be incalculable.
Finally, the goal of lifting bilateral trade to $5 billion by 2010 is a worthy one. Of course, Bangladesh's primary concern here is to ensure that we are able to access and penetrate the Chinese market, and if we are able to boost our exports to China, with over a billion consumers, nothing could be more advantageous for us or have greater long-term benefit.
In short, the better our relations with China, the better for Bangladesh. It is as simple as that.
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