Bangladesh and China are in discussion on signing two accords on 'cooperation on economic development policy' and 'promoting green and low- carbon development' during prime minister's anticipated Beijing trip, highly placed sources said.
Recently, China forwarded drafts of the memorandum of understandings (MoUs) to the foreign ministry in Dhaka through the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing, a senior official said.
"The drafts were sent by the Department of International Cooperation of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) of China with the expectation of their signing during an anticipated official visit of the Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh to China," he said.
''It reflects the commitment and seriousness of Chinese side to make Honorable Prime Minister's visit a substantive one," reads a letter sent by the Beijing mission.
Asked about the matter, an official, requesting anonymity, told the FE that China had proposed the trip in March but the Bangladesh side informed Beijing that it would be too early.
"The visit may take place anytime before June," he hints about Sheikh Hasina's second foreign trip so far envisaged after her assumption of office for a fourth straight term.
The NDRC, considered planning commission of China, is a ministerial-level important department of the Chinese State Council.
The main functions of NDRC include formulation and implementation of strategies for national economic and social development, medium-and long-term development plans.
In the letter the NDRC has referred to the meeting between M. A. Mannan, the then Planning Minister of Bangladesh, and Cong Liang, Vice Chairman of the NDRC, in July 2023 where the two parties agreed to promote exchange and cooperation in the field of economic-development policy.
According to the draft MoU on cooperation on economic development policy, both sides 'will, under the guidance of the important consensus of the national leaders of the two countries, focus on policy exchange and experience sharing in macro-economy, industrial development, planning and sustainable development etc in conjunction with their respective functions, so as to serve practical cooperation' between them.
The drat deal on green-carbon development states: 'based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, the parties will carry out green and low-carbon- development cooperation according to different national circumstances, with the goal of promoting green and low-carbon economic and social development and promote sustainable development.
The Parties fully recognize the measures and achievements of respective ecological environment protection. The Parties shall adhere to the harmony of humans and nature, take up our responsibility for the entire human civilization, and promote the coordination and unity of economic development and ecological environment protection.'
About addressing calamities brought by climate change, the draft says, 'The Parties recall the goal of Article 2 of the Paris Agreement to hold global average temperature increases to less than 2°C and to work towards limiting temperature increases to 1.5°C. The Parties reaffirm that the Paris Agreement will be implemented to reflect equality and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
The Parties promise to take ambitious climate actions based on their respective national circumstances. The Parties are willing to carry out policies dialogue and enhance cooperation.
The Chinese Party is willing to share with the Bangladesh Party the theory and practical experiences of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and jointly make positive contributions to global ecological civilization development.'
According to the draft both sides will work to strengthen policy exchange and cooperation in energy conservation and efficiency improvement, adhere to the principle of "energy efficiency first", and focus on the design and implementation of energy-saving policies such as energy-saving and carbon- reduction measures, technology promotion, energy-efficiency standards, and whole-society energy-saving actions.
The draft also states that parties encourage enterprises, social organizations, and research institutions of both countries to carry out exchange and cooperate on energy-saving in key areas such as industry, agriculture, transportation, construction and end-use energy products and equipment.
It also incorporates a clause on 'Dealing with Plastic Pollution' that says the parties recall the United Nations Environment Assembly Resolution 5/14, 'Ending Plastic Pollution: Towards an International Legally Binding Instrument', reaffirming the threat of plastic-waste pollution to the natural environment and humanity.
The MoU also has provisions for cooperation on food loss and waste reduction and environmental protection.
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