China to remain beside Bangladesh: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi

He said this during a courtesy call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganobhaban.

Wang said China would extend all cooperation to Bangladesh in its stride to become a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.

After the meeting, Prime Minister's Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chowdhuri briefed reporters.

He said the Prime Minister and the Chinese Foreign Minister discussed matters relating to mutual interests.

The Chinese foreign minister highly appreciated Bangladesh's tremendous development and progress that the country made over the last six years under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"Bangladesh is a fast-moving nation in this region due to its rapid development in all sectors," he said.

Mentioning that dream of development of Bangladesh and China is the same, Wang Yi hoped that Bangladesh could reach its cherished goal if it effectively utilizes all its capability and strength in the development process.

About regional cooperation, he said the problems of the countries like Bangladesh, China and India are almost the same.

"Bangladesh could act as a bridge between South and South East Asian regions in strengthening cooperation among the countries of the region," he said.

The Chinese foreign minister opined that Bangladesh could play a more important role in maintaining peace as well as achieving the desired development of the region.

Wang Yi expressed Chinese interest in importing jute and jute goods from Bangladesh and said China is ready to provide high-yielding variety of paddy seeds along with technological support to Bangladesh in the agriculture sector.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister called upon the Chinese entrepreneurs to invest more in various sectors of Bangladesh and said China should do more for the development of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina said both the countries would cooperate with each other for achieving the desired goal of poverty alleviation and ensuring overall socioeconomic development and prosperity.

Mentioning the existing good relations among Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar, the Prime Minister said the ties should be consolidated further in the greater interest of these nations.

The Prime Minister noted that Bangladesh wants to celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year gorgeously in the presence of the Chinese President or the Premier.

"We hope that the foundation stone of the multi-modal tunnel to be constructed under the river Karnaphuli in Chittagong would be laid by the Chinese President during his visit to Bangladesh during the time," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said China is a role model of development and Bangladesh would follow them. "Chinese development means development of Asia," she said.

The Chinese foreign minister also recalled the recent China visit of Bangladesh's President and Prime Minister saying that the tours took the bilateral relations to a new height.

Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader, PMO Senior Secretary Abul Kalam Azad and the Bangladesh Ambassador to China and the Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka were present, among others.