Beijing: China has agreed to extend Bangladesh’s loan repayment period, ensure duty-free, quota-free market access for Bangladeshi products for three years post-LDC graduation, and designate hospitals in Kunming for Bangladeshi patients’ treatment, bolstering bilateral ties. Beijing also assured considering Dhaka’s request to reduce the interest rate of the Chinese loan to Bangladesh. The Chinese pledges were made during the bilateral talks held between Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Diaoyuitai State Guest House in Beijing, said a foreign ministry’s press release here.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, on the sidelines of the meeting, Bangladesh and China signed an instrument titled ‘Implementation Plan of the MoU on Exchange of Hydrological Information Sharing of the Yaluzangbu-Jamuna River’. During the foreign minister-level talk, Bangladesh and China reaffirmed their commitment to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ while both sides expressed their vow to deepen collaboration in areas of mutual interest and leverage opportunities for shared prosperity. The discussion covered a wide range of topics including development cooperation, trade and investment, infrastructure development, sectoral cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges.
The Chinese Foreign Minister reaffirmed that China respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bangladesh and reiterated continued Chinese support for the stability, reforms, democratic transition, and development initiatives of Bangladesh. He mentioned that the people of Bangladesh have given important responsibility to Professor Yunus who has dedicated himself to maintaining civility and unity of the country, and his government has done many tangible good things for Bangladesh. Wang Yi also mentioned that China places Bangladesh at a very important position in her neighborhood diplomacy and praised the existing warm relations between the two nations. He additionally noted that China wants to see Bangladesh’s economic development in pace with their own development while Beijing would continue supporting projects conducive to the livelihood of the people of Bangladesh.
Adviser Hossain emphasized that his first bilateral visit to China reflects Bangladesh’s strong intent to engage with China in a robust partnership to give the relationship a new momentum. This visit also coincides with the celebration of the golden jubilee of diplomatic relations between the two friendly nations. He reiterated Bangladesh’s firm commitment to the ‘One China Principle’ and unwavering support for UNGA Resolution 2758.
Bangladesh’s foreign adviser requested China to reduce the interest rate from 2-3% to 1%, waive the commitment fee, and extend the loan repayment period from 20 years to 30 years for both the Preferential Buyer’s Credit (PBC) loan and Government Concessional Loan (GCL). Praising Bangladesh’s good track record in loan repayment, Foreign Minister Yi agreed in principle to extend the loan repayment period and assured to look into the request of the interest rate reduction.