BEIJING : Chinese President Xi Jinping today assured that
China will remain a “trusted friend” of Bangladesh in implementing Prime
Minister Tarique Rahman’s development vision.
Xi gave the assurance when Tarique Rahman met him on the
final day of the premier’s visit to China at the Great Hall of the People this
morning. The two leaders discussed a range of bilateral issues of mutual
interest, reports BSS.
“During the meeting at the Great Hall of the People,
President Xi has assured Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of China’s long-term
support for Bangladesh’s development, saying that China would remain a ‘trusted
friend’ throughout Bangladesh’s development journey,”
Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir
told a press conference at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse here.
He said Xi emphasized that the friendship and partnership
between the two countries were not temporary, but rather a long-term commitment
by China under his leadership to Bangladesh’s development.
The Chinese President also expressed hope that Prime
Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit would further accelerate Bangladesh’s
development, he said.
Xi also assured that China is ready to support the
implementation of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s vision for Bangladesh’s
development, economic transformation, regional cooperation, and stability, he
added.
He said that the Chinese President praised Tarique
Rahman’s development vision and expressed full confidence in his leadership.
Kobir said China has expressed support for Bangladesh’s
efforts to join BRICS and become a partner of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (SCO).
He said Beijing also voiced support for Bangladesh’s
interest in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which could
provide Bangladesh with greater access to regional markets.
Earlier, Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of
the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China, called on Prime Minister Tarique
Rahman at the same venue, Kobir said, adding that Zhao Leji, who is regarded as one of the most
influential leaders in China’s political structure, is the third-ranking member
of the Politburo Standing Committee and holds a position broadly comparable to
that of a parliamentary speaker.
According to Humayun Kobir, Zhao Leji reaffirmed China’s
support for Bangladesh’s development and prosperity under the leadership of Prime
Minister Tarique Rahman.
The PM’s adviser said Zhao highlighted China’s close
engagement with Bangladesh’s development priorities and assured continued
Chinese cooperation in advancing the country’s development agenda.
He added that the Chinese leader identified opportunities
for cooperation in healthcare, education, skills development, technical and
vocational training, water resource management, and river management.
Kobir said Zhao Leji described Prime Minister Tarique
Rahman as a close partner with whom China is eager to work even more closely.
Quoting Zhao, he said that if Bangladesh and China work
together, they could become a united force representing the interests and
aspirations of the Global South.
This, he said, demonstrates the importance the Chinese
leadership at every level attached to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s historic
visit.
He also said that the Prime Minister’s meetings with
Chinese business leaders and representatives from various industries could lead
to several billion dollars in potential investment.
In addition to investment, discussions were also held on
concessional loans and grants, he added.
Kobir said that grant-based financing is becoming
increasingly limited worldwide. Despite this trend, China has pledged more than
US$300 million in grant assistance, he said.
Giving an overall assessment of the visit, Humayun Kabir
described it as “historic” and “transformational.”
“This visit is not only historic; it has ushered in a new
era. Through it, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership, Bangladesh’s
development vision, and his ideas on regional cooperation and stability have
gained greater acceptance among world leaders,” he said.
“The visit to China will, in the future, be regarded as a historic milestone from which Bangladesh will be able to exert a more positive and stronger influence across the region and the world,” he added.
