Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh arrived in Beijing on Monday for a significant four-day bilateral visit aimed at strengthening ties with China. Her visit underscores the importance of the relationship between Bangladesh and one of its key development partners.
Sheikh Hasina's special flight, operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, touched down at Beijing International Airport around 6 pm local time (4 pm Bangladesh time). A vice minister from the Chinese government greeted her with a red carpet reception and a guard of honour.
This visit holds special significance for several reasons. Over the next four days, the two nations are expected to sign around 20 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and possibly inaugurate several development projects. Bangladesh's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has outlined key areas of interest, including investment and trade, financial assistance, and the repatriation of Rohingya refugees. Additionally, Bangladesh will affirm its support for China on various international platforms.
On Tuesday, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President, Jin Liqun, is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on Sheikh Hasina. The Prime Minister will also attend a summit focused on trade, business, and investment opportunities between the two countries at the China World Summit Wing in the Shangri-La Circle, Beijing. Later in the afternoon, she is set to meet with the President of the Chinese Consultative Party, Mi Wang, at the Great Hall of the People.
As part of her itinerary, Sheikh Hasina will lay a wreath at the People's Heroes Monument in Tiananmen Square. In the evening, she will be the guest of honour at a dinner hosted by the Bangladeshi ambassador to China at Bangladesh House in Beijing.
Wednesday will see a high-level bilateral meeting at the Great Hall of the People, led by Prime Minister Hasina and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The meeting will likely result in the signing of several key documents, including MoUs. Following this, Premier Li Qiang will host a luncheon in her honour at the same venue.
In the afternoon, Prime Minister Hasina is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. This meeting is expected to further solidify the strategic partnership between the two nations.
Sheikh Hasina will conclude her visit on July 11, departing from Beijing Capital International Airport at 11:05 PM local time on a chartered Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight. She is expected to arrive back in Dhaka at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 2 PM Bangladesh time on the same day.
Diplomatic sources from Dhaka and Beijing have indicated that the anticipated MoUs will cover a broad range of sectors. These include financial and banking cooperation, trade and investment, the digital economy, infrastructure development, disaster management assistance, the construction of the sixth and ninth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridges, agricultural exports, and enhancing people-to-people connectivity.
(The article was published on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on July 9, 2024 and has been rewritten in English by Tanvir Raihan)
