(Photo/Screenshot of MOFCOM’s official website)
China is expanding cooperation with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in areas such as industrial and supply chains during the visit of Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao to the two countries, during which several cooperation documents were signed, according to press releases from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM).
The visit once again highlights the importance China places on its ties with the two Asian nations, and China’s open approach in cooperation with developing countries amid global economic and trade uncertainties, a Chinese expert said.
On Sunday, Wang met with Bangladeshi interim government’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, and exchanged views on further deepening practical cooperation between China and Bangladesh, the MOFCOM said in a press release.
Yunus said that Bangladesh and China have a profound friendship, and China is a trustworthy friend and a reliable development partner of Bangladesh. He thanked China for its long-term support and assistance to Bangladesh’s economic and social development, and for arranging a large-scale economic and trade delegation to visit Bangladesh in such a short time after his visit to China and achieving many practical results, per the MOFCOM press release.
Also on Sunday, during his speech at the China-Bangladesh Conference on Investment and Trade, Yunus said Chinese companies are the masters of manufacturing, and Bangladesh wants to be their partner. The conference attracted more than 400 representatives from Chinese and Bangladeshi enterprises and business associations, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.
During the visit, Wang and Salehuddin Ahmed, Bangladesh’s finance adviser, co-chaired the 15th meeting of the Bangladesh-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission, during which they exchanged in-depth views on issues such as deepening trade, investment, industrial and supply chain cooperation, and safeguarding multilateralism, a separate MOFCOM press release said.
At the meeting, Wang noted the current international situation, and called on countries around the world, including Bangladesh, to work together to uphold the multilateral trading system and ensure the stability and smooth functioning of global industrial and supply chains.
Following the meeting, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding on strengthening economic cooperation in industrial chain and supply Chain between the Ministry of Commerce of China and the Ministry of Finance of Bangladesh, according to the MOFCOM.
Al Mamun Mridha, former secretary general of the Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told the Global Times on Monday that Wang’s visit to Bangladesh marks a highly significant moment in the deepening economic partnership between the two countries.
“It comes at a time when both nations are actively seeking to diversify trade ties and expand strategic cooperation under regional and global economic frameworks,” Mridha said, noting that the meetings with Bangladeshi officials reflect China’s continued commitment to strengthening political and economic relations with Bangladesh.
Wang’s visit to Bangladesh came after his trip to Sri Lanka. On Friday, Wang met with Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya in Colombo, and exchanged views on implementing the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and further deepening practical cooperation in the economic and trade fields between China and Sri Lanka, the MOFCOM said in a press release on Saturday.
On Thursday, Wang and Sri Lankan Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe co-chaired the 8th meeting of the China-Sri Lanka Joint Trade and Economic Commission in Colombo. During the meeting, both sides exchanged in-depth views on advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, expanding trade and investment, and safeguarding the multilateral trading system, according to the MOFCOM.
Two memorandums of understanding were signed following the talks – one on establishing a trade facilitation working group, and the other on industrial and supply chain cooperation, the ministry said in a press release.
The visit of the Chinese commerce minister to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh underscores the high importance the countries attach to cooperation, and reflects a shared commitment to building stable and mutually beneficial partnerships, amid a global landscape marked by growing uncertainties, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Monday.
Amid rising protectionism and unilateralism in certain countries, developing countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are increasingly focused on safeguarding their economic security, Qian said, noting that maintaining close ties with a partner like China is seen as a way to help mitigate risks in global trade.
China’s economic and investment cooperation with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka has been strong across various sectors, including infrastructure facilities such as roads, bridges and ports, where China has been an active and effective partner, according to the expert.
“As China plays an increasingly prominent role in global supply chains and economic transformation, its cooperation with countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh is becoming more comprehensive,” Qian said.
(Web editor: Tian Yi, Liang Jun)