China conveyed its willingness to invest in Bangladesh's infrastructure development, especially in power and energy and construction of a tunnel across the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong that will facilitate continental connectivity.
"A high official from China, probably the president of China, is likely to inaugurate the construction of the multimodal tunnel early next year, when both sides will celebrate 40 years of diplomatic relations," Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali told a press conference at his office Monday.
The tunnel on trans-border transport route may cost $1.2 billion, said Mr Ali, who led the host side at official talks between the two Asian countries in Dhaka Sunday, where socio-political situation also came up for discussion.
When his attention was drawn regarding the political unrest, the foreign minister said that his Chinese counterpart made no mention of the country's political situation. He hastened to add: China as usual wanted peaceful solution to any political problem.
"It does not want any violence. If there is any problem, it suggested solving the crisis through discussions rather than resorting to violence and unrest," said the foreign minister. China also wanted to see a peaceful situation congenial to investment as well as development.
Asked whether the visiting Chinese foreign minister mentioned any particular problem, hinting at Monday's hartal, the minister replied in the negative.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organised the press conference to project the outcome of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's three-day visit to Bangladesh.
Wang Yi arrived in Dhaka Saturday on his maiden visit to Bangladesh, following Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Beijing trip in June and ahead of celebration of 40 years of diplomatic ties next year.
Dhaka Sunday invited the president of China to visit Bangladesh during the celebration and the Chinese side said they would convey the invitation to the president, sources said.
The Karnaphuli tunnel, which will connect the southern part of Chittagong with Chittagong city as well as facilitate communications with the tourist city of Cox's Bazar, will also help facilitate the proposed rail and road connectivity along Chittagong-Cox's Bazar-Myanmar-Kunming route.
Terming the Chinese foreign minister's visit a successful one, the foreign minister said it would help consolidate the bilateral ties and expand cooperation in economy and trade, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges.
To reduce a huge trade imbalance between the two countries, the Chinese foreign minister proposed the signing of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh to boost trade ties between the two countries, which, he said, would also help minimize the huge trade gap.
"If necessary, they can even provide special protection to increase Bangladesh export to China in order to reduce the trade imbalance," said the foreign minister.
At present the two-way trade between the two countries accounts for $8.293 billion, with the balance heavily tilted towards Beijing.
Officially, China is the largest import destination for Bangladesh. The country imports machinery, garment fabrics, cotton, chemicals and electrical equipment.
Bangladesh imported US$ 7.550 billion worth of goods from China in the last fiscal and exported goods worth US$ 746 million during the same time.
The foreign minister, who had a threadbare discussion with the Chinese foreign minister, said the Chinese side had expressed their satisfaction over the overall progress on the special economic zone and hoped that a solid output would emerge next year when both sides would celebrate the 40 years of diplomatic ties.
Besides FTA, according to the Foreign Minister, trade, agricultural, industrial cooperation, energy cooperation and infrastructure figured prominently at the talks. And the Chinese side expressed their interest in investing in coal-based power plant in Bangladesh.
"They also put emphasis on extending their cooperation in exploring oil and gas," said the minister.
China also expressed its willingness to extend all necessary help in setting up a rice-research institute in Bangladesh to develop high-yielding varieties of rice to make the country self-sufficient in food production and asked the government to take necessary measures in this regard.
China, the minister said, also is interested to import jute and jute goods from Bangladesh and ready to provide high-yielding-variety paddy seeds along with technological support to Bangladesh in the agriculture sector. He said China would extend all cooperation to Bangladesh in its stride to become a middle-income country by 2021 and a developed one by 2041.
The visiting team, he said, appreciated Dhaka's leadership role in discussions on Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor, which would play complementary role in China's dream projects -- economic belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
About regional cooperation, he said the problems of the countries like Bangladesh, China and India were similar. "Bangladesh could act as a bridge between South and Southeast Asian regions in strengthening cooperation among the countries of the region," the minister quoted the Chinese minister as saying.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi left Dhaka on Monday afternoon on conclusion of his three-day official visit. Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque and senior foreign ministry officials saw him off at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
During his visit, the Chinese foreign minister called on President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Rawshan Ershad and BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
mzrbd@yahoo.com
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