A 100-member Chinese business delegation, led by Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, is set to visit Dhaka soon, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday (April 28).

The plan was discussed during a meeting between Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin and a visiting Chinese delegation, headed by Peng Xiubin, Director General of the Southeast and South Asian Affairs Bureau of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

During the meeting, held at the Foreign Ministry, Peng praised the "warm and friendly" sentiments of the Bangladeshi people toward China. 

He reaffirmed China’s commitment, along with that of the CPC, to supporting Bangladesh’s economic aspirations and development goals.

Referring to the recent visit of Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser to China and talks with President Xi Jinping, Peng described Bangladesh as a "trusted friend and important partner" of China. 

He emphasized Beijing’s continued support in strengthening bilateral trade, infrastructure development, cultural exchanges, and people-to-people ties, under China’s neighborhood diplomacy framework.

Peng also highlighted the growing importance of inter-party communication, expressing hope for deeper engagement between political parties, think tanks, and academics of both nations.

Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin reiterated Bangladesh’s unwavering support for the "One China" policy and welcomed the progress achieved during recent high-level visits, particularly in areas such as trade, investment, healthcare, and education.

He thanked the Chinese government for providing specialized medical facilities to Bangladeshi patients in Kunming and expressed hope that affordable airfare on the Dhaka-Kunming route would further facilitate medical travel. 

He also urged China to increase the number of scholarships for Bangladeshi students at Chinese universities.

The upcoming visit of the Chinese business delegation reflects "the strong and growing economic partnership" between Dhaka and Beijing, the Foreign Secretary said.

The Rohingya refugee crisis was also discussed, with Bangladesh expressing gratitude for China's ongoing diplomatic support.

SMS/