Sino-Bangla friendship enters new stage: Yao Wen

The friendship between China and Bangladesh has entered a new stage strengthening their long relations, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said today (20 April).

"People-to-people contact between our two countries entered a new stage where we [China] will continue to endorse the people-centric approach in our cooperation, tapping growth potential and forging relations on education and public healthcare sectors as those areas are important for Bangladesh's development and people's welfare," he said while speaking at the opening session of an exhibition.

Government of Yunnan Province and Chinese Embassy in Dhaka jointly organized the exhibition titled 'China-Bangladesh people-to-people exchange year: Yunnan Education and Health Promotion' at the Nabab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of Dhaka University (DU). 

Saying the recent visit of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to China successful, Yao noted that chief adviser's visit would contribute fostering cooperation between the two countries.

Assuring to work with Bangladesh in public health and welfare sectors, he said Yunnan Province will now allow more public and private hospitals to receive Bangladeshi patients, with visa support.

"Thousands of patients from Bangladesh will travel to Yunnan for treatment, and they will receive the best services," Yao added.

Commenting on the Bangladesh government's approval to operate new direct flight route from Chittagong to Yunnan, the ambassador said, "It will significantly boost connectivity and exchange between the two nations."

"Another milestone is the upcoming export of Bangladeshi fresh mangoes to China for the first time in history. Starting late May, Kunming and Yunnan will be the first regions in China to receive the fruit," he said.

Reaffirming China's commitment to Bangladesh's development, Yao stated that China would continue to invest in Bangladesh, create jobs for youths and uphold principles of mutual planning and benefit under the Belt and Road Initiative.

Speaking about the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladeshi universities, he said, 12 universities and 6 medical institutions from Yunnan are currently in Dhaka to sign 10 cooperation agreements and establish 5 joint centers with Bangladeshi counterparts.

"China's door of cooperation will not close," Yao concluded, emphasizing Beijing's determination to strengthen regional development and connectivity.

Adviser to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Nurjahan Begum, Yunnan Province Governor Wang Yubo and DU vice chancellor Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan also spoke on the occasion.