Top business leaders from China yesterday urged Bangladeshi businesses to invest in e-business in China through uploading local products on the Chinese e-business portal.
The leaders said the portal can work as a platform for business people of China and South and Southeast Asia to build a strong relationship.
If the products are unique and have reasonable prices, it would surely attract the Chinese consumers, they said.
The Chinese business leaders made the request at a discussion titled “Discussion with Yunnan Business Delegation” with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its office in Motijheel.
An eight-member delegation led by Yunnan province Department of Commerce Director General He Lianghui made the plea. Currently, China has the biggest market of e-business with 500 million consumers and over $1,000 billion sales volume.
The portal named China-South and Southeast Asia e-business Portal is now a project supported as the National e-business Demonstration Project aiming to be a platform which will lead to new mode of commerce in South and Southeast Asian countries.
In response, FBCCI Chairman of standing committee on ICT AKM Shamsuddoha pointed out that Bangladesh does not have that much infrastructural backup and security concerns are also involved here as all will be done through e-commerce.
The investment will be from the Chinese side to develop infrastructure, the Chinese leaders said, adding that the Chinese company will invest in infrastructure and be responsible for translating the Bangladeshi product details on the website to let the Chinese consumers know about the products.
They added the payment will be made through the VISA or master card to facilitate cross border transactions and the further discussions on the issues would be made later. Addressing the meeting, Director General He Lianghui said Bangladesh should focus more on enhancing economic cooperation for a better Bangladesh.
“Firstly, we have to consolidate our cooperation achievements. In 2013, the trade between Kunming and Bangladesh was $137 million, which was only $14 million after the January this year which indicates 36% decrease in the same period compared to last year,” he said.
He also emphasised more communication and view-exchanges between the two countries to develop relationship.
China Mobile Communications Corporation Deputy General Manager Gao Yufen said the mobile users altogether reache 33 million in Yunan through seven years continuous efforts,
“Our company has already achieved knowledge on mobile manufacturing and marketing. We already have 35,000 2G stations and 30,000 4G stations which could cover all the community villages. For Bangladesh, we would believe it is a great opportunity and we would urge you to be our partners in this development,” she said.
Acting FBCCI Pesident Harunur Rashid said the trade between the two countries is gradually progressing although the trade position is greatly in favour of china.
“To achieve more balanced trade, we urgently need to enhance our export to China which is possible through a single country trade fair of Bangladeshi products in different areas of China,” he said.
He also said the IT and Telecommunications sectors to which the China has shown interests are important because they are an integral part of the dream to build a digitised Bangladesh.
“Our business-driven economy is steadily growing, our workforce is educated and more productive, our low-operating cost makes us an attractive place for investment,” he said.
He also suggested the Chinese investors to invest in power generation and renewable energy, infrastructure development, mining (coal, gas and oil), pharmaceuticals, diversified jute and leather goods, tourism, agro-based industry, frozen food and plastic.
The Chinese delegates include Yunnan Province Department of Commerce Deputy Director (foreign affairs and international trade and economic affairs division) Han Yi, Deputy Director (information division) Yang Zhengwei, CCPIT Yunnan Sub-Council’s Secretariat of China South Asia Business Forum Director Yin Dong, China Mobile network management center General Manager Liu Jian, Yunnan Landian Digital Technology Co. Ltd General Manager Yang Xiaojiang and Kunming Dongxun Technology Co. Ltd Chairman of Board Yi Hong.
FBCCI Directors Abdul Haque, Obaidur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam Bhorosha, MA Momen, Jalal Uddin Ahmed and other business leaders from the ICT sector also attended the meeting.
