Moyeen Khan calls for stronger people-to-people ties with China

Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister and BNP standing committee member Abdul Moyeen Khan has described Bangladesh-China relations as entering a new phase, with cooperation expanding in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, technology and culture.
Speaking at a reception in Dhaka marking the 77th founding anniversary of the People’s Republic of China, he said the recent visit of Bangladesh’s prime minister to China had opened “a new chapter” in bilateral relations.
He said the visit was a milestone that produced substantive discussions and proposals to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Moyeen Khan said ties had evolved significantly since Bangladesh established diplomatic relations with China after the Liberation War. He also traced historical links between the two peoples to exchanges involving Chinese traveller Xuanzang and Buddhist scholar Atish Dipankar.
“Bangladesh regards China as one of our closest allies,” he said, noting that bilateral ties now cover trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, industry and culture.
Moyeen Khan praised China’s economic and social transformation, saying he had observed the country’s development over the past 35 years. He said Bangladesh could learn from China’s experience in infrastructure, technological innovation and digitalisation.
However, he said government-to-government cooperation alone would not be enough to realise the full potential of bilateral ties.
“Government-to-government cooperation may not be enough,” he said, calling for greater exchanges among political leaders, academics, students, small traders, journalists and professionals.
He praised Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen for promoting cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, green energy, healthcare and cultural exchanges.
Moyeen Khan said Bangladesh should seek a partnership that goes beyond large infrastructure projects and helps empower people and strengthen small businesses, describing small traders as potential “ambassadors” of friendship.
“Drawing on the resilience and the spirit of our people, the Government of Bangladesh looks forward to a next decade of further expansion of our cooperation,” he said. Yao Wen delivered the welcome speech.