Bangladesh will be BRICS member at an early date: Chinese envoy

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Thursday said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Beijing will be another milestone in the history of China-Bangladesh bilateral relations.

“This visit will surely inject vibrant impetus into the bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, and promote new achievements in the Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between China and Bangladesh, and elevate the relationship to a new height,” he said.

The Chinese envoy made the remark at the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Bangladesh’s (DCAB) flagship event DCAB Talk at the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to pay a bilateral visit to China in between July 8 and July 11.

The Chinese ambassador said China-Bangladesh relationship is at best of all time and is also embracing tremendous opportunities for development as strategic cooperative partners.

“Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China is highly anticipated by all walks of life. This visit is expected to take the helm for the growth of the China-Bangladesh relationship for the next five years or even longer.”

The envoy said the visit will outline a new blueprint for practical cooperation in various fields and provide an opportunity for the two countries to coordinate our positions in regional and international affairs.

During this visit, he said the Bangladesh premier will meet with Chinese leaders, sign a number of cooperation documents, and jointly announce major cooperation achievements.

Through this visit, he said, both sides will firmly support each other and further deepen communication at all levels.

The Chinese ambassador said Beijing stands ready to take Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit as an opportunity to further deepen mutual trust between the two countries, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, consolidate traditional friendship, and work together to realize the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation and Bangladesh’s Vision 2041.

“Our relationship boasts strong vitality, dynamism, and development potential. It enjoys broad support from our two peoples and will continue to maintain robust and sound development momentum,” he said.

The envoy said China is keen to work with Bangladesh to achieve more practical results in infrastructure, digital economy, clean energy, agriculture, education, healthcare, culture and people-to-people exchanges, thereby assisting Bangladesh in its modernization process.

“How to further elevate of bilateral relations, expand the scope of exchanges, tap the potential for cooperation, and make the relationship between our two countries and peoples better, deeper and closer is a task that requires joint efforts from both sides,” he said.

Through the upcoming visit, he said, the two sides will further enhance coordination and cooperation on regional and international issues, jointly upholding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries and international fairness and justice.

The envoy said China supports Bangladesh’s bid to become a partner country of the BRICS and hopes Bangladesh will be a BRICS member at an early date.

He said Bangladesh has maintained long-term political stability and rapid economic development, and its economic strength has risen to the second place in South Asia, thus creating a “Bay of Bengal Miracle”.

The envoy said China highly appreciates Bangladesh’s humanitarian spirit in sheltering more than one million Rohingya refugees. China is actively pursuing all parties involved in the Myanmar conflict to achieve a ceasefire and engage in dialogue, thus paving the way for repatriation of the refugees at an early date.

“China stands ready to support Bangladesh in multilateral arena, jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and promoting regional and international peace and stability,” Yao said.

He said Bangladesh and China share similar values, national dreams, and development paths.

The envoy said China is ready to carry forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence with Bangladesh, consolidate political mutual trust, and make China-Bangladesh relations a model of mutual respect and win-win cooperation among developing countries.

Through the PM’s upcoming visit, he said, the two sides will achieve new breakthroughs in pragmatic cooperation, bringing more benefits to the people of both countries.

“It has been proven that China is Bangladesh’s most reliable partner and most trustworthy friend,” said the Ambassador.

On Bangladesh’s journey toward modernization, he said the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is highly consistent with Vision 2041 and the dream of “Golden Bengal,” as well as Bangladesh’s national conditions.

“China is Bangladesh’s largest trading partner and the second-largest source of foreign investment. China’s economic and trade cooperation with Bangladesh comes with no political strings attached nor demands for special privileges. Significant results have been achieved over the past eight years since Bangladesh joined the BRI,” he added.

DCAB President Nurul Islam Hasib and General Secretary Ashiqur Rahman Apu also spoke at the event.