BY Zakir Hossain
China has proposed developing an economic corridor linking Bangladesh, Myanmar and China to boost regional connectivity, trade and economic cooperation.
The proposal was discussed during talks between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Bangladesh premier Tarique Rahman at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday morning, Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson Mahdi Amin said on 26 June.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Mahdi said the two leaders discussed connectivity in detail. “President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman discussed connectivity in detail. A proposal was made on how an economic corridor could be developed linking Bangladesh, Myanmar and China,” he said.
According to the PMO spokesperson, the proposed corridor aims to expand Bangladesh’s economy, increase economic transactions and strengthen multimodal transportation across the region. He said the initiative could open up new opportunities for regional trade, investment and connectivity.
Mahdi Amin said 17 Memorandums of Understanding were signed during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s four-day official visit to Beijing. Of these, 13 MoUs were signed after Rahman’s bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, while three were signed between the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority and Chinese business organisations. Another MoU was signed between the Communist Party of China and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Tarique’s meeting with Xi, one of the most important engagements of his China visit, began at 10:40am local time and lasted around half an hour, Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman said.
The two sides discussed a wide range of issues related to Bangladesh-China relations, including trade, investment, infrastructure, connectivity and other areas of mutual interest. Officials said the meeting is expected to further deepen bilateral ties and open up new areas of cooperation.
The Xi-Tarique meeting came a day after the Bangladesh Prime Minister held bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People, where the two sides discussed trade, investment and development cooperation and witnessed the signing of 13 MoUs. Earlier that day, Tarique also met Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.