President invited for China visit, message of $500 million investment

Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen paid a courtesy call on President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at Bangabhaban. During the meeting held this Sunday afternoon, the ambassador conveyed greetings from Chinese President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh’s new president. He also extended an invitation for a state visit to China at a convenient time. President’s Press Secretary Md. Sarwar Alam confirmed the matter.

At the meeting the Chinese ambassador briefed the president on various progress made during the prime minister’s recent visit to China. These include the foundation stone laying of the China Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ), the signing of a commercial agreement for the modernisation of Mongla Port and possible cooperation in establishing the Mongla Export Processing Zone (EPZ). The president expressed hope that the prime minister’s visit would further strengthen bilateral relations.

During the meeting the ambassador said at least 30 Chinese companies would invest about $500 million in Bangladesh, creating employment for nearly one lakh people. Fruitful discussions were also held on the Teesta River integrated management and restoration project, the foreign minister-level strategic dialogue and the launch of the state minister-level ‘Two Plus Two’ diplomacy and defence dialogue.

The discussion further covered the start of jackfruit, mango and guava exports from Bangladesh to China, the establishment of solar power and electric vehicle assembly plants, the China-Bangladesh-Myanmar economic corridor and bilateral cooperation in addressing the Rohingya crisis. At this time the ambassador specially recalled Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s visit to China when he was a minister. Both sides expressed their resolve to take the friendly relations between the two countries to a new height through multidimensional cooperation.