Thaindian News

Dhaka, Feb 15 (IANS) Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina may visit China next month and the details of the trip were being worked out, the Chinese envoy here has said.
The visit is expected to “break new grounds in improving relations with the emerging Asian giant”, New Age newspaper reported Monday.

Zhang Xianyi, Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh, Sunday called on Foreign Minister Dipu Moni to discuss the proposed visit.

“We have (formally) invited her (Sheikh Hasina) to visit China. The dates of the visit are yet to be finalised,” Zhang told the newspaper after meeting Moni.

The two countries are holding discussions on implementation of several projects in Bangladesh, including the seventh Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, several power plants, Chittagong-Myanmar-Kunming highway, setting up of a Bangladesh-China exhibition centre and the widening imbalance of bilateral trade against Bangladesh, said a foreign ministry official.

In 2008, the two-way trade volume amounted to about $4.67 billion, though mostly lopsided against Bangladesh.

China had opposed Bangladesh’s freedom movement in 1971, siding with its traditional ally Pakistan. It recognised the new country soon after the assassination of its founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in August 1975.

Formal diplomatic ties were established in 1976.

China has since emerged as the largest supplier of military hardware to Bangladesh.

A high-powered delegation led by ruling Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam visited China in December and held meetings with top ranking Chinese leaders.

Bilateral relations between the two countries were strained as the government in 2004 allowed Taiwan to open an unofficial trade representation office in Dhaka, the signboard of which read, ‘People’s Republic of Taiwan’.

The government, however, shut the trade office as China expressed its annoyance over opening of the office.