Xi Jinping's visit to enhance ties: Syed Ashraf

Recalling the long friendship between Bangladesh and China, Awami League General Secretary and Minister for Public Administration Syed Ashraful Islam said that the existing friendly relations between the two countries would be more cemented with the upcoming Dhaka visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The minister said this while participating in a bilateral discussion with the provincial leaders of the Communist Party of China in Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu province of China, on Saturday (August 27), according to a press release received here today (Monday).

At the talks, Syed Ashraful Islam led the Awami League while Wang Jiong, member of the Jiangsu provincial committee of the Communist Party of China and director general of its organisational division, led his party.

Central leaders of the 14-party alliance including Samyabadi Dal general secretary Dilip Barua, Workers' Party general secretary Fazle Hossain Badsha and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) general secretary Shirin Akhter and leaders of the Communist Party of China also attended the talks.

At the outset of the meeting, Wang Jiong hailed the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saying that Bangladesh is an ideal instance of peace, development and progress to the world now under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He assured that China would always remain with Bangladesh for development of its people under Sheikh Hasina's leadership.

Conveying his thanks to the government of China for its assistance in the development of the country, Syed Ashraful Islam called upon the Chinese leadership to enhance investment and set up of more industries in Bangladesh for the welfare of both the countries.

The Awami League leader hoped that the relations between Bangladesh and China would more be strengthened with the setting up of industries, expansion of trade and business and enhancement of communication between the two peoples.