Ready to work with PM Tarique to boost Dhaka-Beijing ties: Li Qiang

Congratulating Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Chinese Premier of the State Council Li Qiang said on Tuesday that he stands ready to work with the Bangladesh prime minister to carry forward the long-standing friendship and enhance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

He laid emphasis on continued exchanges in all sectors, elevating the Bangladesh-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership to a new level, so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples.

Li Qiang wrote in the message that China and Bangladesh are neighbours enjoying a long-standing friendship and are Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partners.

“Friendly ties between the two countries go back a long way,” he said, adding that over the past 51 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Bangladesh and China have always respected and treated each other as equals, pursued mutually beneficial cooperation and win-win results, setting a fine example of exchanges between countries.

He said the Chinese government supports the new Bangladeshi government in exercising smooth governance.

BNP Chairman Tarique was sworn in as the country’s new prime minister on Tuesday afternoon.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered him the oath at the South Plaza of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban around 4:15pm.

Earlier in the day, the BNP Parliamentary Party at a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban elected Tarique Rahman as leader of the party’s parliamentary party.