Dhaka for expeditious implementation

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has laid stress on an expedited implementation of the projects agreed during the last visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh.

Foreign Minister Momen made the remark when the visiting Vice Foreign Minister of China Sun Weidong made a courtesy call on Bangladesh Foreign Minister at the Foreign Service Academy on Tuesday.

Bangladesh and China signed 27 agreements worth about US $24 billion during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Bangladesh on October 14, 2016. It was first trip by a Chinese President to Bangladesh in 30 years, when Xi boosted involvement in Bangladeshi infrastructure and enhanced bilateral ties to a strategic partnership.

Momen highly appreciated the substantial contributions made by China towards the developmental journey of Bangladesh.

He profusely admired the excellent bilateral relations between the two friendly countries and expressed optimism that the constructive and collaborative relations would be further strengthened in the days ahead.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister also congratulated the Chinese Vice Minister on the successful holding of the bilateral consultations on May 27 in Dhaka.

Noting the deep cultural, historical and civilization links between the two countries, Momen mentioned about the visit of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to China in the 1950s and the book he wrote titled, The New China as I Saw.

Vice Foreign Minister of China Sun Weidong highly lauded the remarkable socio-economic transformation of Bangladesh under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Sharing his admiration for the magnificent Padma Multipurpose Bridge, the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister mentioned that the structure stands out as a new symbol of the friendship between Bangladesh and China and observed that the two countries could achieve miracles through greater and better synergies.

Momen invited and encouraged larger flow of Chinese FDI into Bangladesh for mutual benefit of both the countries.

He recalled with profound appreciation the assistance that China offered during the Covid-19 pandemic and mentioned his brief meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister in Dhaka in January this year.

While discussing the facility of DFQF access to 98 percent Bangladeshi products to China, Momen hoped that all necessary measures would be taken so that Bangladesh could get optimum benefit out of this arrangement.

The Chinese Vice Minister praised Bangladesh’s energetic youth population capable of making a significant change in the society and economy.

He referred to the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and hoped that Bangladesh reaped the maximum benefits out of this grand scheme. The two Ministers reviewed the ongoing efforts for repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingya people back to their homeland in Myanmar smoothly and on an expeditious basis.

Foreign Minister Momen thanked the Chinese Government for making sincere efforts for the safe and quick return of the Rohingya people from Bangladesh.

Both of them expressed similar views that the problem needed an urgent solution, because if left unaddressed for any longer, it could potentially evolve as a tangible threat to the regional security and stability.