Chinese FM in town

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Dhaka on Saturday night to give further boost to the bilateral relations. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited China in June this year, when Beijing’s leadership promised to support Bangladesh in massive infrastructure projects. Yi’s visit follows the Prime Minister’s June visit when both sides inked several deals and agreed to celebrate 40 years of their diplomatic ties jointly in a big way next year. ‘This visit is basically stocktaking after our prime minister’s visit. We are expecting either Chinese president or prime minister would come next year in the joint celebration (of diplomatic ties),’ a senior foreign ministry official said in Dhaka on Saturday night. Bangladesh’s President Md Abdul Hamid also visited China last month. Yi came to Dhaka from Nepalese capital Kathmandu where he promised to increase the official aid to Nepal more than 5 folds from next fiscal from the current $ 24 million. The place carrying Yi landed at Hazrat Shahjalal (R) International Airport in Dhaka about 7pm. Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali received him at the airport, according to a news agency.