United News of Bangladesh

Stressing that Dhaka-Beijing relationship is a people-centric one, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Tuesday expressed optimism that Bangladesh can overcome all the difficulties and challenges by working together to bring a new Bangladesh which is “more united, stable, more democratic and prosperous.” While responding to a question at a seminar, he also hoped that with the leadership of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus, all major political parties will work in a cooperative approach for a stable and prosperous Bangladesh. “China and Bangladesh are best friends and trustworthy partners. So, whatever change is taking place internationally or domestically in Bangladesh, our policy remains steadfast,” he said, adding that no matter who forms the government, China wants to be their partner and their policy is not related to any particular government. Ambassador Yao said they believe their cooperation is for the benefit of all the Bangladeshi people and the people of China as well. The Ambassador referred to visits of top leaders of Bangladesh to China over the past decades. “So, we have a tradition to have good relations with traditional high level visits.” Replying to a question on the Chief Adviser’s upcoming visit to China from March 26-29, he said China invites all prime ministers or heads of government, and that he cannot make any comment on the priorities of the visit at this point. Nepal invites Bangladesh to attend 'Sagarmatha Sambaad' He said there is no universal form of democracy and it can vary from country to country and the people of the particular country can decide on it.  The Centre for Alternatives hosted the seminar titled "National Image of China in Bangladesh" at a city hotel, where its Executive Director and international affairs expert Dr Imtiaz Ahmed presented a paper. Former Rector of Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy Mashfee Binte Shams, Dhaka University Prof Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir and independent researcher, analyst Syed Shahnawaz Mohsin and former DU International Relations Department Prof Dr Amena Mohsin spoke at the seminar. On the Rohingya issue, the envoy said China, as the best friend of both Bangladesh and Myanmar, is determined to play their role to help and he still believes there is no other option except repatriation. “That's the final solution. So, we are willing to play a role.” Ambassador Yao said they are bringing together Myanmar and Bangladesh to talk for the solution and they almost became successful. “But due to the internal conflict inside Myanmar, especially in Rakhine state, all our efforts have to be suspended.” He, however, said they never give up and they are doing their part to have ceasefire arrangements inside Myanmar and they are working both with the Myanmar military and ethnic minority groups. The Ambassador laid emphasis on collective international efforts and they need the common standing between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Ready to encourage more investment Ambassador Yao said China is ready to encourage more companies to increase their investment in Bangladesh in the fields of textiles and garments, clean energy, electric vehicles and digital technology. Yao said China promised to continuously expand its opening up to Bangladesh and provide it with zero-tariff treatment for all taxable items before Bangladesh graduates from the status of least developed country. So far, 14 Chinese companies have invested a total of 230 million USD in Bangladesh since the establishment of the interim government. "Let’s work together to tell a vibrant and passionate story of China-Bangladesh friendship. Let’s make the tree of China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership continue to bear more fruitful results in the new era," Ambassador Yao said. The seminar highlighted that Bangladesh and China can work together toward a more balanced trade relationship, attract greater Chinese investment in Bangladesh’s industrial and technology sectors, and foster public private partnerships for sustainable infrastructure development. It was mentioned that China's role in regional diplomacy, particularly concerning the Rohingya crisis, is recognised, but expectations for a more proactive stance persist. Russia seeks continued cooperation in Bangladesh’s gas exploration efforts It was also highlighted that China's relationship with Bangladesh is focused on the benefits of people. Ambassador Yao said they need to make unremitting efforts for a closer brotherhood between the two peoples - Bangladesh and China. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations. "Bilateral relations between two countries face a historical opportunity to build on the past and forge ahead into the future," said the Chinese envoy. Since the beginning of this year, Bangladesh and China have made frequent exchanges in various fields and at several levels. "Yesterday (March 10), we saw off the first group of Bangladeshi patients, doctors and travel agencies to Kunming, Yunnan Province of China, for medical check-ups, treatment, and hospital reviews," Ambassador Yao said, adding that in the future, they will further expand their cooperation, adding more Chinese cities and high-level hospitals to our medical cooperation to provide Bangladeshi patients with more diverse and quality medical choices. He said they welcome scholars from both countries to further strengthen in-depth research on bilateral relations, accurately capture public opinion trends, strengthen friendly narratives to resolve misunderstandings and build a solid foundation for the close ties between the Chinese and Bangladeshi peoples. On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, Ambassador Yao congratulated the Centre for Alternatives for successfully conducting the survey on the national image of China in Bangladesh for three consecutive years. With various charts and models, the report shows vividly the Bangladeshi people's cognition and friendly feelings towards China, said the envoy. What deserves attention is that some positive trend changes are reflected in this report, he said. "And it also puts forward valuable suggestions for areas that need further enhancement." Dr Yunus hopes to attract Trump, Musk for investment in Bangladesh Sharing his three thoughts and views on the public opinion towards China reflected in the report, Ambassador Yao said they need to uphold the unshakable foundation of the ties between our two peoples, which is getting better with each day passing by. He said 99 percent of the people interviewed approve of and support the friendly relationship between China and Bangladesh, showcasing the broadness of the consensus. Around 60.1 percent of Bangladeshi people thought positively of China in 2022, which rose to 66.7 percent in 2024. About 50 percent of Bangladeshi people recognised the development of China's economy, science and technology in 2022, and the figure surged to 85 percent in 2024. The Bangladeshi people widely welcome Chinese investment in Bangladesh and speak highly of the important role of bilateral cooperation in Bangladesh's national development, construction and poverty alleviation. "Bangladeshi people also evaluate positively the "Belt and Road" cooperation between the two countries, and believe that it has a bright future. What’s behind all the data is China's adherence to the policy of friendship and good-neighborliness for all Bangladeshi people," said the Ambassador. He said the enthusiasm shown by the Bangladeshi people has greatly increased their confidence in further promoting the development of the Bangladesh-China comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Secondly, the envoy said, they need to pay great importance to the opinions and suggestions put forward by the Bangladeshi people on strengthening people-to-people exchanges and cooperation. He said Bangladeshi people admire China's unprecedented development achievements, wish to learn more about China's experience in state governance, and would like to have a more comprehensive understanding of China’s major initiatives such as the idea of a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind and the Global Development Initiative. "We are pleased to see that 75 percent of the Bangladeshi people are willing to visit in person or send their children to China to receive higher education, up by 5 percentage points compared to that in 2022," said the envoy. Around 29 percent of the Bangladeshi people showed great interest in going to China for medical treatment, a significant increase of 13 percent in comparison with 2022. China Bangladesh's most reliable friend, says Chinese envoy "This indicates that the Bangladeshi people are looking forward to traveling, studying, and doing business in China, so that they could experience and understand China’s traditional culture and social development better by themselves," Ambassador Yao said. "However, at the same time, we also see the challenges for people-to-people exchanges. The frequency and effect need to be strengthened," he added. To facilitate the exchanges and interactions between the two sides, the envoy said direct flights between the two capitals have been launched and are being operated. Now there are as many as 58 flights per week between the two countries, which can accommodate more than 11,000 passengers, the Ambassador said. The Chinese government has introduced a series of measures to simplify the procedures for Bangladeshi people to visit China, he said.

Speaking at a blanket distribution programme,Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Sunday said China cares about the health and living conditions of the Bangladeshi people, and hoped that the blankets could bring warmth to the people. Ambassador Wen said due to the sharply dropped temperature in many parts of Bangladesh this winter, the health and livelihoods of some residents have been affected. "As Bangladesh’s trusted friend and development partner, China is always ready to help Bangladesh with its development and the improvement of the livelihood of the Bangladeshi people with practical actions," he said. The envoy made the remarks at the blankets donation ceremony to Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami in Gazipur. Ameer of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, local leaders and representatives of thousands of residents attended the ceremony. No discussion regarding CA’s China visit, says Foreign Adviser after his bilateral tour This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and China, and is also the “China-Bangladesh Year of People-to-People Exchanges”. China stands ready to seize this opportunity to maintain close cooperation with friendly Bangladesh political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami, implement more projects that benefit the people, convey the warmth and friendship from China to more Bangladeshi people, and continuously deepen the bonds between the two peoples, said the Ambassador. Dr Shafiqur Rahman appreciated the Chinese Embassy for donating blankets to the needy people in Gazipur. He stated that Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami will deepen the party-to-party cooperation and people exchanges, furthering the Bangladesh-China relationship. Ambassador Yao and Dr Shafiqur Rahman jointly distributed blankets to the residents. They also visited local schools and interacted with teachers and students. Local residents waved the national flags of China and Bangladesh and presented flowers to Ambassador Yao in a warm and touching atmosphere.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Thursday met Foreign Secretary Md. Jashim Uddin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two sides had in-depth exchanges of views on Bangladesh-China relations, bilateral cooperation and joint celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Bangladesh. Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain will pay an official visit to China at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on January 20-24 which is described as “very important first bilateral visit” after the formation of the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus in August last year. Read: Dhaka to urge Beijing for lower interest rates, extended repayment period: Touhid Hossain The foreign adviser said he will leave Dhaka on January 20 (evening) and will return to Dhaka on January 24. He will have engagements on January 21-23. Bangladesh sees Hossain’s maiden bilateral visit to China as a “great opportunity” to further strengthen and deepen the bilateral relations with Beijing giving an outline for the future cooperation.

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen has offered his country’s cooperation in judicial development and training, focusing on strengthening the rule of law and ensuring justice in Bangladesh. He came up with the offer during a meeting with Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed at his office on Monday. ‘World is watching, future is calling’: Foreign Adviser Ambassador Yao, leading a three-member delegation, praised the Chief Justice’s recent efforts to institutionalise and fortify Bangladesh’s judiciary. He stressed the importance of a robust legal system for fostering good governance and expressed China’s readiness to cooperate in training programs and exchanges between judges of both nations. No info on religious-based visa rejections for students by Poland: MoFA In response, Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the rule of law in Bangladesh, particularly in the aftermath of the post-July-August revolution. He assured full cooperation from the Bangladesh Supreme Court in strengthening judicial ties with China.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Saturday (May 06, 2023) said China, as a responsible major country, has been "unswervingly mediating" between Bangladesh and Myanmar to promote the repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland.  "A local friend once told me sincerely that many people provide lip-services, but only China is actually doing practical things to proceed with the repatriation," he said. The ambassador was delivering keynote speech at a symposium as part of the Cosmos Dialogue Ambassadors’ Lecture Series entitled "Bangladesh-China Relations: Prognosis for the Future" at hotel in Dhaka. The discussion was chaired and conducted by President, Cosmos Foundation and former foreign affairs advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury. Chairman of Cosmos Foundation Enayetullah Khan delivered the welcome remarks.  Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox's Bazar and Bhasan Char.  A 27-member delegation including 20 Rohingyas visited Myanmar’s Rakhine on Friday to see the preparation to resettle the possible returnees. They visited 15 villages and other infrastructure built for the Rohingyas. Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, also the leader of the delegation said, “We returned with 20 Rohingyas after visiting the arrangements made for them around Maungdaw town. I have seen the goodwill of the Myanmar government regarding repatriation. We want to start repatriation.” Also Read: Momen sees hope for Rohingyas' repatriation in latest Chinese initiative Responding to a question, Ambassador Yao said the Rohingya issue is a humanitarian tragedy and it should never happen again.  

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen today (January 23, 2023) said China supports any global initiative if it remains conducive to common development worldwide and avoids division or confrontation. He said any initiative by a country should be “open and inclusive” instead of being exclusive to a particular country or against any country. The Chinese ambassador made the remarks when a reporter wanted to know his views on various global initiatives including the Indo-Pacific strategy. Ambassador Wen had a meeting with Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at his office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Also read: Outgoing Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming hopes Rohingya repatriation will start next year Responding to a question on sanctioned Russian ship heading towards China, the ambassador said he saw the media reports and hoped that any sort of sanction would not affect ordinary people and cooperation with any country. He also said that those were “unilateral sanctions”, and not by the United Nations. Bangladesh has conveyed to the Russian side that they can send any ship except those 69 sanctioned ones carrying equipment for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Sanctioned Russian ship Sparta III (Ursa Major) was scheduled to dock at Mongla port in Bangladesh at the end of December last year and unload cargo destined for the Rooppur power plant in Pabna. Read more: Bangladesh won’t accept those Russian ships which are under sanctions: FM But the authorities denied the ship permission to dock at the port after officials got a letter from the US Embassy in Dhaka, saying that the ship was on a list of Russian vessels sanctioned by the US. The ship is en route to the port of Shanghai, China, sailing at a speed of 10.4 knots and expected to arrive there on January 31, according to vesselfinder.com which provides real-time vessel data. Asked about the sanctioned ship's location, Foreign Minister Momen said they do not know anything further about the ship but reiterated that Bangladesh will not allow any sanctioned ship. Regarding the situation along the border with Myanmar, he said the relevant ministries are working and they are also in touch with the Bangladesh mission in Myanmar. Read More: Shipments for Rooppur plant and Bangabandhu Rail Bridge arrive at Mongla port "The situation is not good," said the foreign minister, noting that people are moving from one place to another out of panic. He said that no new entry from Myanmar will be allowed amid conflicts between two groups on the Myanmar side.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Sunday said it is high time to work together to have more projects and investment from China overcoming the common challenges ahead. "We find that there is a great potential to work together on high level visits and economic development," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ambassador said China can do a lot and the two countries can work together for a better future. “That is something China can do together to overcome common challenges faced by the two countries,” Ambassador Wen said, referring to the challenges of Covid-19 and also problems that emerged amid the situation in Ukraine. Referring to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision for 2041, the Chinese envoy said Bangladesh is now stepping into Smart Bangladesh from Digital Bangladesh and assured of his country’s support to that end. Also Read: Gate of Dhaka-Beijing cooperation opens wider: Ambassador Wen “I am confident that during my tenure I can work together with Bangladesh. China can do a lot. We can support each other. We can work together for the better future of our bilateral relationship,” he said. Responding to a question on Rohingya repatriation, Ambassador Wen said they have a common objective with Bangladesh regarding repatriation of Rohingyas to their homeland. He recognised Bangladesh's "sacrifice" in hosting the huge number of Rohingyas and assured of playing its role for their repatriation. “We discussed the issue. You pay a lot. You suffered a lot. You sacrificed a lot. We have the common objective (repatriation),”said Ambassador Wen. Bangladesh is hosting over 1.1 million Rohingyas in Cox’s Bazar and Bhasan Char and not a single Rohingya has been repatriated over the last six years. Earlier, the Chinese Ambassador had separate meetings with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and discussed the Rohingya issues apart from other bilateral issues. “We discussed ways to expand bilateral ties,” said the Ambassador.