FM’s recent China visit injects fresh momentum into ‘Belt and Road’ cooperation: Yao Wen

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has said that Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman's recent visit to China has injected fresh momentum into Belt and Road cooperation, noting that the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership will continue to advance and bring greater benefits to the people of both countries.

Referring to the foreign minister's "successful" visit to China, the envoy said both sides had reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, water resource management, the digital economy, green development, healthcare, and people-to-people exchanges through practical projects.

Ambassador Yao made the remarks at the launching ceremony of the "2026 Chinese Government Training Programs" at the embassy on Thursday evening (21 May).

Director General of the East Asia and Pacific Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Nore-Alam, and Joint Secretary of the Economic Relations Division under the Ministry of Finance, Kawshar Jahan, among others, were present.

Since the formation of the new government, at least four Chinese enterprises have signed investment agreements with Bangladesh in just over three months, with intended investments totalling nearly $100 million, Ambassador Yao said.

He said China has become the largest source of foreign investment in Bangladesh since the new government took office and is actively advancing several priority projects, including the expansion and modernisation of Mongla Port facilities, the China-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital project, and the China-Bangladesh Friendship Residential Hall at the University of Dhaka.

Human resource development cooperation is an important component of the broader partnership between the two countries, the envoy said.

"This year is especially significant, as it is the first since the successful general election in February and the formation of the new government led by the BNP," he said.

"In the past three months since the new government took office, Bangladesh and China have continued their long-standing friendship and deepened cooperation across various sectors," he added.

Earlier, a high-level BNP delegation led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also visited China. The ambassador said the Communist Party of China and the BNP had enhanced institutional exchanges and deepened mutual learning on state governance during the visit.

MoFA Director General Nore-Alam and ERD Joint Secretary Kawshar Jahan highly praised the achievements of bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Han Kun from the embassy highlighted ongoing cooperation between the business communities of the two countries and positively assessed progress in investment, trade, and industrial cooperation.

Two former trainees also shared their experiences and insights gained during their visits to China.

This year, China will organise 23 bilateral and 30 multilateral training programmes in China, providing training opportunities for nearly 600 Bangladeshi participants.

The programmes will cover a wide range of sectors, including telecommunications and information technology, renewable energy, cross-border e-commerce, road transportation, agriculture, tourism, and education.

"I hope that through these training and exchange opportunities, participants will further enhance their professional capabilities, learn from China's development experience, gain a deeper understanding of Chinese culture, and strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation," Ambassador Yao said.

He expressed hope that the programmes would not only contribute to participants' personal and professional growth but also strengthen the foundation for future exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

The ambassador wished the training programmes success and said he hoped participants would become ambassadors of friendship for China-Bangladesh relations and cooperation.