Chinese foreign minister calls on Yunus, wants to deepen ties

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on Wednesday said China wants to invest in solar panels in Bangladesh and deepen trade and economic ties with Dhaka.

Wang Yi made the announcement when he called on Bangladesh chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus on the sideline of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York.

The Chinese foreign minister described Yunus as "an old friend of the Chinese people," and he congratulated the chief adviser for assuming the leadership of the interim government, according to a press release.

"We have full confidence in you that you will live up to the expectations of the people," he said, adding he would unite the country.

Wang Yi said China would attach importance to Yunus's call to Chinese solar panel manufacturers to set up plants in Bangladesh.

The chief adviser made the call when Chinese ambassador to Dhaka paid a courtesy call on with him last month.

The Chinese foreign minister said Beijing would also encourage greater cooperation and partnership between the companies of two nations. He said Bangladesh would also benefit from Chinese decision to allow zero tariff access to all goods from the Least Developed Countries.

He said Chinese Red Cross has sent a team of physicians to treat the students and people who were grievously injured during the July-August mass uprising. Wang Yi also said China would welcome more students from Bangladesh.

Professor Yunus thanked China for the gesture. He also praised "amazing" Chinese efforts to lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty.

He said Chinese solar companies could invest in a bigger way in Bangladesh, which enjoys preferable market access to many rich nations.

He also called other Chinese manufacturers to relocate their factories to Bangladesh.

The chief adviser stressed closer relations with China and opening "a new chapter" in the ties between the two nations.

He also called for increasing technological collaboration between the companies of both nations.

"We will love to collaborate with Chinese companies. We have a lot of scope to work together," he said.