On 22nd August, Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina departed from Dhaka for South Africa to participate in the BRICS summit scheduled for 22nd to 24th August 2023. She is participating in the Johannesburg summit in response to an invitation from Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa, the present head of the alliance and President of South Africa. Sheikh Hasina also held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the side of the summit.
At Hotel Hilton Sandton, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping engaged in a bilateral meeting on August 23rd. The meeting was initiated after 6:30 p.m. local time, aligning with 10:30 p.m. Bangladesh time.
The Hasina-Xi dialogue marked their initial bilateral interaction in four years. It is being considered a pivotal event against the backdrop of the present geopolitical contest between the West and its rivals.
You can also read: BRICS: Modi, Xi attend BRICS amid India, China trade standoff
China to back Bangladesh’s bid for BRICS membership
In a declaration of solidarity, President Xi Jinping of China guaranteed ongoing support for Bangladesh, encompassing aid for BRICS membership and the pursuit of a sustainable resolution to the Rohingya issue.
Sheikh Hasina stated that her administration aims to facilitate the return of Rohingyas to their native land. She pointed out that the displaced citizens from Myanmar are posing challenges to regional stability, with a number of them involved in illicit drug and weapons trade.
On the other hand, Bangladesh’s officials accompanying the Prime Minister discussed the significance of regional peace and stability, as well as matters related to loans. Besides, she underscored her nation’s commitment to expanding relations with China and reinforcing teamwork within global mechanisms like BRICS.
The Chinese President conveyed congratulations to Hasina for Bangladesh’s inclusion in the New Development Bank, which is backed by BRICS members, outlining China’s willingness to enhance coordination and partnership with Bangladesh concerning multilateral concerns.
Xi offers support for Rohingya crisis and Bangladesh’s sovereignty
Regarding the Rohingya crisis, Xi intends to tackle the issue through a collaborative effort involving China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. He has given assurances of continuous support to Bangladesh in achieving this objective.
He further stated that China stands behind Bangladesh in upholding its national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, while also opposing external interferences. This support aims to help Bangladesh maintain domestic harmony, and stability, and work towards its progress and rejuvenation.
China urges Elevated Belt and Road Collaboration with Bangladesh
In the meeting, the Chinese President placed emphasis on advancing top-notch Belt and Road collaboration between China and Bangladesh, leveraging their economic compatibility. He also called for intensified cooperation in diverse sectors such as infrastructure, information technology, new energy, and agriculture.
Xi stated that China and Bangladesh share a longstanding friendship and mentioned that the two nations elevated their bilateral ties to a strategic cooperative partnership in 2016, setting the course for further enhancing their collaboration.
Sheikh Hasina extended her warm wishes to Xi for the milestone of the Belt and Road Initiative’s 10th anniversary, highlighting the pivotal role it has played in opening up new routes of development for Bangladesh.
China to sign Preferential-Free Trade Agreement with Bangladesh
The President of China also provided reassurance of collaboration to assist in the transformation of Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous “Sonar Bangla”. Additionally, they expressed commitment to expediting the signing of a Preferential-Free Trade Agreement with Bangladesh, aiming to address the trade imbalance between China and Bangladesh.
While discussing the matter, the Prime Minister underlined the necessity to narrow down the trade disparity between Bangladesh and China. This was highlighted by pointing out that Bangladesh’s annual imports of Chinese goods amount to approximately 20 billion US dollars, whereas China’s imports of Bangladeshi goods total just $7009 million.
In the meeting, President Xi mentioned that PM Sheikh Hasina and himself both extended invitations to each other for visits to their respective countries at their own convenience, and they mutually agreed to these arrangements.
