building self-development capacity
China to help Bangladesh
UNB
China will help Bangladesh achieve its development dream by removing poverty and improving the livelihoods of people, as the East Asian nation feels it has an obligation to help countries like Bangladesh to catch up with its economic progress, reports UNB.
Weve a common dream to improve the livelihoods of our people. Weve the obligation to help our friends who are a little bit behind China so that we can develop together and ensure a better life for our people, said Hou Yanqi, deputy director general of the Department of Asian Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Talking to visiting journalists from Bangladesh and Nepal at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, she, also in-charge of South Asian Affairs, said China will continue to help Bangladesh build its self-development capacity to have a faster growth in the region.
Responding to a question, the Chinese Foreign Ministry official said China wants to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous South Asia as it believes without these China cannot develop. Not only China, the entire region cannot develop without peace and stability in South Asian countries. We hope the region will be peaceful, stable and developed one. Describing Chinas deep relations
with Bangladesh, Yanqi said the friendship bridges that has been built so far in Bangladesh are just not only bridges rather the linkages of hearts. She referred to Chinese President Xi Jinpings meeting with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the UNGA recently and said they talked about various issues just like old friends and brother and sister not only like two leaders that showed the deepness of friendship between the two countries.
Calling Bangladesh a good neighbour, Xi in the meeting said China regards Bangladesh as an important cooperation partner in the South Asia-Indian Ocean region and stands ready to maintain high-level of exchanges with Dhaka and expand bilateral cooperation in such key areas as trade, production capacity, energy development and infrastructure construction.
Focusing on huge trade gap between China and Bangladesh, the official said China has huge economy and it is necessary for them to adopt some measures and try to minimise the trade imbalance with its friends like Bangladesh and Nepal.
We also find it necessary to support and facilitate Bangladeshi companies to represent in China either through exhibitions or campaign programmes, Yanqi added.
Responding to another question, the Chinese government official said China wants to see Bangladesh and Nepal to be more integrated in the regional cooperation mechanism. For example, BCIM where Bangladesh is an important part.
As part of Chinas South Asia policy, she said, they will continue to maintain friendly and collaborative approach so that all can better benefit from such cooperation.
On Chinas One Road One Belt initiative, Yanqi said this is an important initiative and Bangladesh and Nepal can support and participate in building the road. We have to help each other within developing countries.
Laying emphasis on people-to-people contact, the official said China will continue to provide scholarships for Bangladeshi students and send Chinese teachers to Bangladesh to teach Chinese language which will help boost the exchange programmes.
