PM’s Malaysia-China visits: 15-17 bilateral instruments likely to be signed

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to leave Dhaka for Kuala Lumpur on Sunday (21 June) afternoon on a two-day state visit at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

Tarique Rahman will later travel from Kuala Lumpur to the Chinese port city of Dalian on the night of 22 June.

At a press briefing held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday (20 June) morning regarding the Prime Minister’s visit, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said that the Prime Minister will visit Malaysia on 21–22 June and China from 23–26 June.

He also outlined the detailed schedule of both visits, noting that 28 members have been confirmed so far as accompanying delegates for the China visit. "We have tried to keep the number of companions reasonable across all sectors," the Secretary said.

During his stay in Malaysia, Tarique Rahman will hold a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on 22 June. This will be followed by high-level bilateral talks between delegations led by the two heads of government.

The bilateral discussions are expected to cover a wide range of issues, including trade, investment expansion, energy cooperation, the halal economy and the semiconductor industry. Cooperation in agriculture, education and people-to-people contact will also be featured prominently on the agenda.

The Foreign Secretary further added that during the Malaysia visit, Bangladesh will seek support for recruiting new workers across various sectors, joining ASEAN and the repatriation of Rohingya refugees.

He noted that two agreements, one on cultural exchange and another regarding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) are likely to be signed.

Responding to questions from reporters, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said that 15 to 17 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) or agreements are expected to be signed during the Prime Minister’s visit to China. This likely includes 13 MoUs, two contracts, one action plan and one protocol.

The Prime Minister will arrive in the port city of Dalian on the evening of 22 June. The following day, on 23 June, he is scheduled to meet with the President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF). He is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with the heads of government of Kazakhstan, Mongolia and South Korea, who will be attending the WEF’s ‘Summer Davos’ annual meeting.

On the afternoon of the first day in China, Tarique Rahman will deliver a keynote speech at a session titled ‘Climate Leadership in Shifting Global Landscape.’ In the evening, he will attend a welcome dinner hosted by Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

On the morning of 24 June, the Prime Minister will attend the opening ceremony of the 13th annual meeting of Summer Davos, themed ‘Innovating at Scale.’ Following the event, he will travel to Beijing by train and stay at the State Guest House.

On the morning of 25 June, the Prime Minister will hold separate meetings with the Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chairman of the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China.

Later that morning, the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) will host the “Bangladesh Investment Forum,” where the Prime Minister is expected to speak and present Bangladesh’s investment climate and opportunities, inviting Chinese investors.

In the afternoon, Tarique Rahman will join a bilateral meeting with Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People. Both sides are expected to discuss bilateral interests and ways to further strengthen ties.

Several MoUs between Bangladesh and China are expected to be signed in the presence of both leaders, followed by a state banquet hosted by the Chinese Prime Minister.

On 26 June, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. This will be followed by a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping to discuss key bilateral, regional and global issues.

Before departing for Dhaka on the afternoon of 26 June, the Prime Minister will pay his respects to the fallen heroes at Tiananmen Square.

The Foreign Secretary expressed hope that the visits to Malaysia and China would open new horizons of cooperation.

He also said efforts are underway to engage China’s private sector for investment and that work is ongoing on establishing a designated Chinese economic zone in Bangladesh.

He added that the Prime Minister is also expected to meet representatives from various private sector organisations during the visit.