‘Dhaka-Beijing strategic cooperation helpful for prosperity in Asia, beyond’

China has conveyed Bangladesh that the strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries will be 'helpful in a big way' towards the prosperity and stability in Asia and beyond apart from serving the mutual interest of the two nations, reports UNB.

The Chinese leadership conveyed it to Bangladesh during prime minister Sheikh Hasina's five-day official visit that experts find as a 'very important' one, leading towards stronger ties between Bangladesh and China, said an official.

Bangladesh and China established the strategic partnership of cooperation in 2016 during Xi's historic state visit to Bangladesh.

"Bangladesh-China relationship is flourishing and it'll go even stronger," said Ruan Zongze, executive vice president of China Institute of International Studies (CIIS) adding that there are numerous synergies and two countries need to work together for a better future.

Principal research fellow of the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore, former foreign affairs adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury also termed the visit very import one not only in terms of bilateral relations but also from a regional perspective.

"Bangladesh-China relations are strong of course but it's going to be stronger because of huge Chinese investment in infrastructural development partly because of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) and also because purely on bilateral terms," he told UNB.

The prime minister, who returned home on Saturday concluding her five-day official visit to China, will brief the media on Monday afternoon about the outcomes of her just-concluded visit.

On Thursday, Bangladesh and China signed nine instruments for further strengthening cooperation on power, water resources, culture and tourism sectors as well as providing 2,500 metric tonnes of rice for the displaced Rohingyas.

The instruments, including two loan deals, were signed in presence of Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese premier Li Keqiang after a bilateral meeting between the two leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

On Friday, Chinese president Xi Jinping held talks with prime minister Sheikh Hasina at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing and said the elevation of bilateral ties has helped promote cooperation between the two countries to a new phase of fast development, inject impetus into the economic and social development in both countries, and bring more benefits to both peoples.

He called on both countries to carry forward the traditional friendship and jointly promote cooperative and common development of two countries.