Bangladesh Wants China As Valuable Partner Of Prosperity: PM

Sheikh Hasina invited the Chinese business, trade and industry leaders to visit Bangladesh and appraise the realities first-hand.

"I hope that you would surely find a very attractive environment and opportunities of business in this country, offering the most liberal investment policy in South Asia," she said.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing the 9th China- South Asia Business Forum at Haigeng Conference Centre here this morning.

Vice President of Maldives Mohamed Jamil Ahmed, Secretary General of SAARC Arjun Bahadur Thapa, President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ismail Asif, Chairman of China Council for Promotion of International Trade Jiang Sengwei, Secretary of Committee of People's Congress of Yunnan Province Qin Guangrong spoke on the occasion, among others.

Commerce ministers of different SAARC countries, including Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, and leaders of trade bodies from China, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Nepal joined the Forum.

Sheikh Hasina said Chinese investors might find interest in Bangladesh's special investment programmes like building international airports, seaports, waterways, transport, and expressways under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) and Build-Own- Operate- Transfer (BOOT) schemes.

"Bangladesh is now producing products from "Ships to Chips". Our seaports, land ports and airports are facilitating local and international business," she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh Export Processing Zones (EPZs) are attractive places for foreign investment. "Bangladesh government is considering allocating a separate economic and industrial zone in Chittagong for Chinese investors," she said.

Besides, she added, seven exclusive economic zones are being developed in Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina thanked the Governor of Yunnan for inviting her to the 2nd China-South Asia Exposition."It's an appreciating move of Chinese leadership to reach out its neighbors for trade and commerce," she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh-China relationship is based on close and comprehensive partnership, which has evolved through cooperation based on mutual trust and respect.

Sheikh Hasina said China is one of Bangladesh's largest trading partners and the largest source of import.

"Sino-Bangla trade is growing and in the fiscal year 2012-2013, Bangladesh's export to China was only $458.12 million but import was $6.307 billion," she said.

To reduce the trade gap, she said, more Bangladeshi products need to get duty- free access to Chinese market.

"China also needs to import more garments, apparel,pharmaceuticals, handicrafts, ceramics, leather products and fishes from Bangladesh," she said.

The Prime Minister observed that more investment by Chinese entrepreneurs in Bangladesh could help in reducing the trade gap, she said.

"Chinese manufacturers can take the advantage from Bangladesh's duty-free and quota-free access to the markets of European Union, Canada, Australia and other developed nations," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said she believes that China as a trusted friend of Bangladesh would support to its efforts in achieving targets.

"Apart from involvement in infrastructure development and energy capacity building, Chinese investors may come forward in joint venture or individual investment in other sectors," she said.

The Prime Minister said pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals, shipbuilding, agro- based industries, textiles, ceramics,leather, tourism, manufacturing, ICT, training and development of human resources, design and planning in high valued-added sectors can been the best areas for Chinese investment in Bangladesh.

-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)