Longi, the world’s largest solar panel manufacturer, has decided to set up an office and invest in solar panel production in Bangladesh, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen announced on Sunday.
The ambassador said several top Chinese solar panel manufacturers visited Bangladesh in December to explore investment opportunities.
This visit followed an invitation from Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, who had urged Chinese companies to relocate their manufacturing plants to Bangladesh as part of the interim government’s vision to turn the country into an economic hub.
Among the companies that visited, at least two firms, including Longi, have confirmed plans to establish offices and factories in Bangladesh.
“They will invest in Bangladesh very soon,” Yao Wen told Yunus during a meeting at the State Guest House Jamuna.
The ambassador said that since August 5—when Sheikh Hasina’s autocratic regime was ousted—Chinese firms have emerged as the largest investors in Bangladesh.
He added that dozens of Chinese companies are now preparing to invest, especially with a dedicated Chinese export processing zone expected to become operational soon.
Yao Wen also highlighted the significance of Yunus’s upcoming visit to China, calling it the most important in the 50-year-long relationship between the two “trustworthy and close friends.”
Welcoming more Chinese investment, Yunus emphasized that Bangladesh could become a top manufacturing hub for companies looking to export goods to Western markets.
He also encouraged Chinese hospital chains to establish top-tier clinics or form joint ventures with Bangladeshi healthcare providers.
“Bangladesh needs massive investment in healthcare. Chinese hospital chains now have a unique opportunity to build hospitals here,” he said.
In response, Yao Wen said China has dedicated four hospitals in Kunming to serve Bangladeshi patients.
A group of Bangladeshis recently traveled there for treatment.
During Yunus’s visit to China, Peking University—one of the world’s leading educational institutions—will confer an honorary doctorate upon him. He is also scheduled to deliver a speech at the university.
The trip marks his first bilateral foreign visit as chief adviser.
He will attend and speak at the Boao Forum, often called the “Davos of the East,” where global leaders and CEOs gather annually to discuss major global issues.
His speech will focus on Asia in a changing world, with China's executive vice premier joining him in the session.
On March 28, the Chief Adviser is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the two nations will issue a joint statement following their discussions.
