Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to leave for Beijing on Monday, marking her first visit to China after securing a fourth consecutive term in office, to elevate the bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and China to a “new level”.
At least 20 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) are expected to be signed during her four-day visit.
Those include economic and banking, trade and investment, digital economy, infrastructure development, disaster management, the construction of the sixth and ninth Bangladesh-China friendship bridges, agricultural exports, and enhancing people-to-people connectivity.
Discussions with President Xi Jinping and premier Li Qiang will focus on deepening the traditional friendship, expanding mutually beneficial cooperation, and addressing regional and international issues of mutual interest.
"China is committed to being an important partner in our infrastructure and economic development. We are hopeful that the upcoming visit will be successful and fruitful, taking the strategic relations to the next level," Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud said on Sunday at a curtain raiser briefing.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, while announcing the visit, said: "China stands ready to work with Bangladesh through this visit to carry forward the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepen political mutual trust, further synergize development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, accelerate the implementation of the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, and elevate our bilateral relations to a new level."
Hasan rules out any loan deal during PM Hasina’s China visitRelations to take to next level
China was against the birth of Bangladesh in 1971 and vetoed on several occasions in the Security Council to prevent UN membership. China recognized Bangladesh as an independent country on 31 August 1975, weeks after the brutal assassination of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The foreign minister, however, said: “Bangladesh-China bilateral relations began even before independence with Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic visit to China in 1952, during which the Father of the Nation met the then Chinese leader Mao Zedong. In the light of that experience, Bangabandhu wrote the book ‘Amar Dekha Nayachin’.”
“China recognized Bangladesh in 1975, following which the two countries have been advancing on the path of development based on mutual cooperation,” he said.
During Xi Jinping's visit to Dhaka in 2016, the relationship between the two countries was upgraded to a "Strategic Cooperation Partnership".
After winning the 12th national parliamentary election held on January 7 and being re-elected as prime minister, Sheikh Hasina was officially invited by China for an official visit.
“Since 2016, our relations have been deepening further. With the visit, it will go to the next level,” the foreign minister said.
“China is an important partner in infrastructure and economic development,” he said, adding that Bangladesh would seek China's assistance in the areas of “investment and trade; financial assistance and repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland.”
China highlights strong bilateral ties ahead of PM Hasina's visit“At the same time, Bangladesh will continue to provide support to China as its friend in the global context,” the foreign minister said.
“There is no loan agreement in the list. We will sign a MoU for economic cooperation through which China will support us in future based on our needs,” he said.
Before the visit, there had been speculations that Bangladesh would sign agreements to get massive loans and support the dwindling foreign reserves.
Asked whether Bangladesh would seek any such support, the foreign minister once again said: “There is no such MoU in our list. But during the discussion, many things can come up”.
"Our (foreign) reserve is good now," he said.
However, there are issues such as China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI) which Bangladesh will not join.
Besides, the foreign minister said Bangladesh would discuss the Teesta project if China raised the issue.
“India has proposed to help this joint river management. At the same time, India said that it would send a technical team. Together with our technical team, they will determine what needs to be done there. So, we must first consider that proposition naturally since we share the river with India. China has also proposed that it is good. If they discuss the Teesta, there will be a discussion,” he said.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen recently said Beijing is ready to accept Bangladesh’s decision in this regard.
The renewal of MoU between the Bangladesh Awami League and the Chinese Communist Party MoU will not happen during this visit.
An Awami League delegation led by a praesidium member will visit China after the visit. They will renew the deal, the foreign minister said.
PM’s itinerary
The prime minister will leave Dhaka at 11am by Bangladesh Biman special flight and land at Beijing International Airport at 6pm local time in China.
The prime minister will be given a guard of honour and received with “due respect”, the foreign minister said.
Ministers for finance and foreign affairs, state ministers for commerce, energy and mineral resources, and information will accompany the prime minister. Her adviser for private industry and investment will also accompany her.
On July 9, President of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Jean Likun will call on the prime minister in the morning. She will participate in the conference titled "Summit on Trade, Business and Investment Opportunities between Bangladesh and China" at Sang-Gri-La Circle. A business delegation from Bangladesh will participate in the conference.
The prime minister will have a meeting with the Chairman of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Wang Huning.
She will pay his respects at the traditional Tiananmen Square. At night, he will attend a dinner hosted by the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing.
On the third day of the visit on July 10, the prime minister will meet the premier of the State Council of China Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People.
A reception will be accorded in her honour at the beginning of the meeting.
At the same place, the prime minister and the premier of the State Council of China will meet in a bilateral meeting with high-level delegations from the two countries.
After that, about 20 MoUs will be signed. The meeting will end following the banquet lunch.
In the afternoon, she will meet President Xi Jinping.
Both countries will issue a joint statement following the meeting.
The prime minister will leave China on July 11 in a special Bangladesh Biman flight and land in Dhaka at 2pm.
