Interview: Chinese president's Bangladesh visit will lift bilateral ties to new high: minister

The upcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Bangladesh is a diplomatic boost that heralds a new era in relations between the two countries, said an influential member of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Cabinet.

In a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua, Information Minister Hasanul Huq Inu said, "His Excellency President Xi Jinping's visit to Bangladesh will take the deep cordial relations between Bangladesh and China to a new greater height."

"This upcoming visit marks the strong bondage between the two nations as well as paving the way of future growth of our ties," said Inu, also president of the Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD), an ally of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling grand alliance, which has been strongly maintaining its one-China policy.

He said the relations and engagements between Bangladesh and China are enormous.

"Our two nations support each other on the principles of peace, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual trust and respect, mutual interest and equitable sharing of mutual benefits."

Inu further said, "We also work closely for developing a quadrilateral economic space between Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar - popularly known as BCIM-EC (Economic Corridor). Definitely coordinated efforts of Bangladesh and China on local and international development issues of mutual interest will result in great outcomes."

The minister said over the last eight years, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in economic growth, women's advancement and empowerment, education and health, and other areas of human development including laying out communication, production and trading architectures.

"To keep the development on track, we look forward to Chinese cooperation in project financing and low-cost investment, technology, upgrading management skills, market access, defense, agriculture, industry, communication, water resources management and media modernization."

Inu said, "China, as an enormous country, has a very wide and modern media network. Media in Bangladesh has seen a milestone rise under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina."

At this very moment, he said Chinese cooperation in this sector will be extremely significant, adding, "Infrastructure building and ICT adoption are the two most prominent sectors where we seek Chinese cooperation in media."

"Already five new television centers in divisional headquarters of the country are being developed with Chinese cooperation and new avenues are to come," he said. Endit