Economic development, geopolitics and the longstanding Teesta-barrage issue will dominate the trip of Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus to China, a meticulously chosen destination of the maiden bilateral visit by the head of Bangladesh's interim government.
"We will try to further advance our discussions on bilateral cooperation with China on the Teesta River water-management project," a top official of the foreign ministry told the FE on the eve of the chief adviser's departure.
Professor Yunus will fly for China at about 1.00pm today (Wednesday) on a four-day official visit by a special flight arranged by the Chinese government.
He would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on March 28 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Analysts feel that this visit carries substantial geopolitical significance for the fact that the head of government of post-uprising Bangladesh is making his first bilateral trip to China instead of nearest neighbours.
"The Bangladesh interim government has conveyed a clear signal by picking China as the destination of Chief Adviser's first bilateral visit," foreign secretary Joshim Uddin said.
However, another top official told the FE that Bangladesh was expecting such an invitation from India but that didn't take place.
"So we had no choice," he said, adding that an effort was on to arrange a bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dr Yunus on the sidelines of the Bimstec summit in Bangkok but so far India was yet to respond to such a request.
But there will be some sort of conversation between the two leaders in Bangkok, sources in the Indian external affairs ministry confirmed the FE.
According to foreign ministry sources 6 to 8 MoUs on infrastructure, culture, mass media will be signed during the visit. Moreover, there will be several announcements on lending, sources said.
Prof Yunus will leave for Hainan Island in China to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Conference in Hainan Province of the East-Asian country.
On March 27, he would deliver a speech at the conference's opening plenary session and may meet with China's Executive Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang.
On March 28, the Chief Adviser is set to meet President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing for summit-level talks on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation.
He is also likely to visit a high-tech enterprise under Huawei and give an interview with a leading Chinese media outlet.
Peking University will confer an honorary doctorate on Nobel-laureate Dr Yunus on March 29, where he would also deliver a speech. He will start for home the same day.
China has recently designated hospitals in Kunming for Bangladeshi patients and agreed to build some modern hospitals in Bangladesh.
There will be discussions during the visit how this cooperation in the health sector can be expanded.
According to sources China is keen to take Bangladesh on board in its global development initiative (GDI) and it will come up in the meetings during the visit.
Bangladesh has in principle agreed to the concepts of the GDI but it feels that this is not the proper time, an official of the foreign ministry said, adding that the formal agreement on it may be left for a political government.
The Chief Adviser's Press Secretary will address several sessions with Chinese business leaders to highlight the investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, the Chief Adviser's Press Secretary, Shafiqul Alam, Tuesday said, "The main focus of the Chief Adviser's visit will be to talk to Chinese investors, manufacturers, energy companies, and Chinese top private and state-run companies."
He told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy that as part of his economic diplomacy, Prof Yunus is presenting Bangladesh before the world as a manufacturing hub.
"The interim government is taking all possible policy measures to build Bangladesh as a manufacturing hub and works are on to provide one-stop service for all so that foreign firms do not face any hassle to invest in the country's private sector," he said.
The main goal of the government is to create jobs in Bangladesh and accelerate its economy, the press secretary added.
Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Yao Wen, on Monday, told reporters that the visit of Bangladesh Chief Adviser would be a milestone event.
"It will be a productive and successful visit with some important announcements," he added on a lead-in note about the tour.
According to officials Rohingya-repatriation issue will also be discussed during the visit as China has since the beginning of the crisis been engaged in leading a tripartite mechanism to resolve the issue.
mirmostafiz@yahoo.com
