Chinese president’s visit elevated Bangladesh-China’s cooperation to ‘strategic relationship’

"There was a closer comprehensive cooperation between Bangladesh and China. But the cooperation has been lifted to strategic relationship," Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque quoted the two leaders as saying in a nearly identical comments at the end of their bilateral talks.

Haque added: "Both the leaders said Bangladesh-China relation is based on trust and time tested and therefore the relation has now been elevated to a strategic level."

Talking to newsmen in a media briefing along with Prime Minister's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, the foreign secretary said the two countries also agreed to work together to combat terrorism and militancy during the official talks at the premier's office this afternoon. The foreign secretary said Xi and the Bangladesh prime minister in identical tone said bilateral ties would now be "more deepened and widened" under the strategic relationship.

"We would see a new shape of the bilateral ties at different levels soon," Haque said.

The top bureaucrat of the foreign office described the talks as "fruitful and successful" while it was held in a cordial environment covering "all aspects of relationship".

He also termed the visit of the Chinese president as historic and said it would open up a new horizon in terms of bilateral ties.

The foreign secretary said the two leaders strongly felt more exchange of VIP visits between the two countries were required in the coming months to follow up the development.

Haque said the two countries had "long-standing history" of cooperation in the fields of trade, investment and business but "new fields have been unveiled through the Chinese president's visit" with ICT sector particularly witnessed a special breakthrough.

In the traditional sector, he said, agriculture and trade relations were deepened and widened further coinciding with the Xi's visit.

Elaborating on enhanced security cooperation agreed by the two leaders, the foreign secretary said the two countries would now work together to fight terrorism and militancy, particularly by capacity building and exchange of information and good practices.

"A MoU on the issue has been signed after the talks," he said.

During the talks, Haque said, the Chinese side hinted at making special investment in RMG and jute sectors.

As part of consensus on enhanced economic cooperation, the two countries inked a framework agreement on production capacity building after the talks, the foreign secretary said, adding that under the deal, the Chinese government would assist Bangladesh in technology transfer, capacity building, training and establishment of new entities.

He said China would make an investment involving a huge amount in the ICT sector in Bangladesh to help materialise its vision of building Digital Bangladesh.

Haque said during the talks the Chinese president highly appreciated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership and Bangladesh's stunning achievement in different sectors under her able stewardship.

"The Chinese president praised our premier's leadership and Bangladesh's success thrice (during the meeting)," he said.

The foreign secretary said the two leaders pledged also to work together to implement the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

He said maritime was a new area where the two countries agreed for collaboration and while the two countries signed a MoU for cooperation on blue economy.

Haque said the foreign ministers of the two countries signed another MoU to support the 'One Belt One Road', a connectivity initiative of the Chinese president.

The foreign secretary said several other MoUs were signed in private sector and added that would strengthen ties between the private sectors of the two countries particularly in the areas of trade and investment.

As asked about the estimated financial value of the agreements and MoUs, he said "you will have to wait more few days to know about total financial involvement of the projects to be undertaken under the newly identified agreements".

The foreign secretary said all agreements signed between the two countries are related to business, trade, investment, ICT and infrastructure development.

But he said the two leaders agreed that the development of the people of the two countries was most crucial for bilateral ties.

After the bilateral talks the two countries signed 15 MoUs and agreements at G2G level and 12 MoUs on loan agreements and mutual agreements.

Without any elaboration, the foreign secretary said an agreement was signed on economic and technical cooperation and a framework agreement on road and tunnel.

President Xi led a 13-member high powered Chinese side at the talks.

They included two Chinese senior members of Political Bureau of the Central Committee of Communist Party of China Wang Huning and Li Zhanshu, State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Minister of National Development and Reform Commission Xu Shaoshi, Finance Minister Lou Jiwei, Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng and Governor of the People's Bank of China Zhou Xiaochuan.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina led the Bangladesh side that comprised of Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Public Administration Minister Syed Ashraful Islam, Minister for Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.