China on Friday proposed the establishment of an economic corridor linking Bangladesh, Myanmar and China aimed at further deepening regional connectivity and trade.
“On Friday, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had detailed discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on connectivity. A proposal came there on how an economic corridor could be established from Bangladesh to China via Myanmar,” said Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Mahdi Amin.
He said this while briefing newsmen at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse here following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping this morning at the Great Hall of the People.
“During the meeting, the two leaders discussed various bilateral issues relating to connectivity, people-to-people contact, further enhancing bilateral ties and Chinese support for modernising Chittagong and Mongla seaports," he added.
Giving details, the PMO spokesperson again stated, "The main objective of this economic corridor would be to expand Bangladesh’s economy, increase economic transactions, and further enhance multimodal transportation.”
Amin also said that China expressed interest in further modernising Chittagong port to make it a regional business hub.
“We want to work on how this port can be developed into a regional hub that will serve not only Bangladesh but also other countries,” he added.
Apart from this, he further added that China has shown interest in upgrading Mongla Port and making it more progressive and service-orientated, as discussions were held on these matters.
Mahdi said, “Bangladesh and China are eager to further strengthen people-to-people contact in line with their broader bilateral relationship."
“We want to deepen ties in culture, media, technology, knowledge transfer, and employment generation,” he mentioned.
He said that both countries want greater interaction between their peoples in areas like heritage, information, and technology, and that these issues were discussed by the two leaders.
He also noted that Mandarin is being prioritised as a third language in Bangladesh’s education system, along with technical and vocational education.
China is eager to assist Bangladesh in both areas based on its own experience by providing teachers and infrastructural support for Chinese language education, he said.
Regarding healthcare, he said, China will help simplify visa processing and expressed interest in supporting the introduction of modern medical systems in Bangladesh, including robotic surgery and hospital development.
“Many Bangladeshis travel abroad for medical treatment, and China is willing to facilitate easier visa processing and other forms of cooperation to support Bangladeshi patients seeking treatment overseas,” he continued
Reiterating the importance of people-to-people ties, he said Bangladesh wants stronger relations between the peoples of the two countries in the fields of culture, media, technology, knowledge transfer, and employment generation.
On the Rohingya issue, Amin said Bangladesh’s position remains clear: the country wants the Rohingyas, who took shelter in Bangladesh, to return to their homeland, Myanmar, in a safe, voluntary, and dignified manner.
He said China has assured Bangladesh that whenever necessary, it will facilitate dialogue with Myanmar regarding Rohingya repatriation.
“We will pursue the voluntary and dignified repatriation of the Rohingya, which, according to us, was achieved only during the tenures of President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. We will begin discussions on this issue going forward,” he said.
Amin also mentioned that for the first time, Bangladesh and China have reached an understanding on a ‘2+2 dialogue’ mechanism covering foreign affairs and defence.
Representatives from the foreign and defence ministries of both countries will hold regular dialogues in the future, and the details of the instrument are being worked out, he added.
He said that China reaffirmed its respect for Bangladesh’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity and emphasised that each country should pursue its own independent and sovereign foreign policy.
Regarding BRICS, Amin said China welcomed Bangladesh’s future application for membership.
He also noted that China congratulated Bangladesh on its recent success in a UN-related election and that Bangladesh thanked China for its support.
Finally, he said President Xi Jinping praised Tarique Rahman’s leadership and assured China’s long-term support for Bangladesh’s development.
The Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir and Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony were also present at the press conference.
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