The ambassador said China would continue supporting Bangladesh in expanding trade, developing infrastructure, generating renewable energy, promoting language education and building skilled human resources.
Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen speaks to journalists after a meeting. Photo: BSS
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Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen speaks to journalists after a meeting. Photo: BSS
China is working with Bangladesh to assess the feasibility of implementing the Teesta River project as part of growing cooperation between the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said today (27 August).
The envoy made the remarks after a meeting with LGRD and Cooperatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
State Minister Mir Shah e Alam and Secretary Md Shahidul Hasan were also present at the meeting.
The Chinese envoy said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visit to China had created a “historic opportunity” for expanding comprehensive cooperation between Dhaka and Beijing.
He described the Prime Minister’s China visit as “highly successful and a milestone”, saying the two countries were now working to translate understandings reached during the visit into cooperation in different sectors.
Yao said work on the Chinese Special Economic Zone in Chattogram had begun following the Prime Minister’s visit, while the two countries were also working on the Mongla Port project.
The ambassador said China would continue supporting Bangladesh in expanding trade, developing infrastructure, generating renewable energy, promoting language education and building skilled human resources.
Asked about Bangladesh’s ongoing energy crisis, Yao said China was working with Bangladesh, particularly on solar and renewable energy.
“We are working on it, particularly solar energy, or renewable energy. We have also discussed the renewable energy issue with the Honourable Minister,” he said.
“I think this is the right time for Bangladesh to develop solar or renewable energy to reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. China will support Bangladesh in this sector,” he added.
The ambassador said China had also pledged to send experts to Bangladesh to provide free training for developing skilled human resources and teaching Mandarin as a third language.
“Alongside economic cooperation, we are also working on education and cultural, or people-to-people, exchanges,” he said.
Yao said the two sides also discussed a waste to energy project, which he described as the first and only project of its kind in Bangladesh.
“We are pleased to know that, under the direction of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, everything is ready. It will be inaugurated very soon,” he said, adding that it could become a model project for Dhaka city.
The Chinese envoy said Beijing was also working with Bangladesh on a slum modernisation project, which is currently a priority for the Local Government Ministry.
Bangladesh has already shared the project proposal with China and sought Beijing’s cooperation, he said.
Yao said the initiative, aimed at improving the living standards of poor and disadvantaged people, would receive high priority in China-Bangladesh cooperation.
He expressed the hope that visible progress on the slum modernisation initiative would be made in the near future and pledged China’s cooperation in waste management, green energy and slum development projects.
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