China Seeks Stronger Ties with All Political Parties in Bangladesh

China attaches great importance to Bangladesh and wants to maintain friendly relations with all major political parties, regardless of which party forms the government, Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC), has said.On the issues of independence, sovereignty and security, the political philosophies of China and Bangladesh are aligned, Liu said while presenting the keynote paper at a seminar in Dhaka on Wednesday.The seminar marked the inauguration of the Bangladesh-China Centre for Party and State Governance Studies and was titled Where History Illuminates the Future: China-Bangladesh Political Parties Plus.Liu said China was keen to strengthen exchanges and cooperation among political parties in the two countries, adding that sharing experiences in governance could further advance bilateral relations.The seminar was moderated by Dr Liu Yuyin, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed attended as the chief guest.Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar, National Citizen Party (NCP) Convener and Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam, Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Khorshed Alam, Inqilab Editor A M M Bahauddin and Professor Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, among others, also spoke.Prime Minister's Adviser Nazrul Islam Khan, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, BNP Vice Chairman and former Home Minister Air Vice Marshal (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, political leaders and several lawmakers were also present.During the visit, Liu also held courtesy meetings with President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. He paid tribute at the graves of former president Ziaur Rahman and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.Liu arrived in Dhaka on Tuesday night for a three-day visit.China wants stronger political and economic engagementSpeaking at the seminar, Liu said China wanted to maintain friendly relations with all major political parties in Bangladesh, without considering whether they were in government or opposition.He said bilateral trade had grown from $15 million to $23 billion over the past five decades. Chinese cooperation in infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges and tunnels, had contributed to the economic and social development of both countries.China also expects progress in important projects such as the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project and the Mongla Port Industrial Park to bring benefits to the people of both countries, Liu said.He stressed the need to expand engagement among political parties, governments, businesses, researchers, media organisations and civil society groups to take bilateral relations forward.The newly inaugurated Bangladesh-China Centre for Party and State Governance Studies would play an important role in exchanging experiences on governance, policymaking and development, he added.Referring to a Chinese proverb, Liu said, “To understand the present, one should look at the past as a mirror; without the past, the present cannot exist.”He said history had created a valuable friendship between the two countries that had endured across generations.Noting that the CPC was marking its 105th founding anniversary this year, Liu said the century-old party remained vibrant and continued to explore ways to strengthen itself.BNP, Jamaat and NCP leaders highlight ties with ChinaIn his speech, BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said his party attached special importance to political relations between Bangladesh and China.He said the foundation of bilateral relations was laid during the tenure of Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman and strengthened further under former prime minister Khaleda Zia.The recent visit of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to China had opened a new chapter in relations between the two countries, Rizvi said.We strongly support China's policy towards Bangladesh. China is one of Bangladesh's major trading and development partners. Our support for the One-China policy is unwavering, he said.Rizvi expressed hope that Liu's visit would add a new dimension to bilateral relations.Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar said party-to-party relations were important for sustaining friendship between the two countries, as governments could change but political parties continued their activities.He sought China's support and cooperation in poverty alleviation, public welfare and resolving the Rohingya crisis.NCP Convener Nahid Islam praised China's policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, describing it as particularly important for Bangladesh.He said political parties in Bangladesh shared a common position on relations with China. Building partnerships between the younger generations of the two countries was also essential to strengthening bilateral ties, he added.President seeks stronger cooperation with ChinaLiu Haixing met President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at Bangabhaban on Wednesday.During the meeting, the president described China as a trusted friend and an important strategic partner of Bangladesh and called for further strengthening bilateral relations.He referred to the framework agreement on the modernisation and expansion of Mongla Port and the foundation-laying of the China Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ), saying the initiatives would contribute significantly to Bangladesh's connectivity, industrialisation and economic development.The president welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposal for expanding regional connectivity, including a proposed corridor linking Kunming and Chattogram and the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor.He also thanked Xi and invited him to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.Liu assured continued Chinese cooperation in renewable energy, education and cultural exchanges.The president thanked China for its support in financing and constructing the 1,000-bed Bangladesh-China Friendship General Hospital. He also sought Beijing's continued active role in ensuring the safe repatriation of Rohingya refugees.Liu assured that China would continue its cooperation on the issue.He said the foundation of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and China had been laid during Ziaur Rahman's presidency and that the relationship was further strengthened during Khaleda Zia's tenure. He expressed hope that bilateral ties would become stronger and broader under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's leadership.PM seeks China's help over Rohingya crisisEarlier, Liu met Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Prime Minister's Office in the Secretariat.At the meeting, Liu conveyed the greetings of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the prime minister. In response, Tarique Rahman extended his greetings to Xi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.Liu said a joint declaration outlining a new era of future bilateral relations had been issued during the prime minister's visit to Beijing. He expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries would expand further in line with the declaration.Reaffirming China's continued support for Bangladesh's development, Liu said Beijing's commitment to Dhaka remained unchanged. He also expressed confidence in Bangladesh's economic growth and development prospects under Tarique Rahman's leadership.The prime minister said the relationship between Bangladesh and China had its roots in the tenure of Ziaur Rahman and had since occupied a special place in the hearts of the people of both countries.Maintaining this historic relationship and passing it on to future generations was now a shared responsibility, he said.Both sides stressed the importance of expanding communication and cooperation between the CPC and the BNP. Liu expressed China's interest in making ties between the two parties broader and more multifaceted.He also invited a BNP delegation led by the party's acting secretary general to visit China.The proposed Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor was also discussed at the meeting. Liu expressed China's support for Bangladesh's inclusion in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).During the talks, Tarique Rahman highlighted the pressure on Bangladesh's economy, society, demography and environment caused by the prolonged presence of around 1.3 million Rohingya refugees.He sought China's cooperation in resolving the crisis. Liu said China was aware of the Rohingya issue and would convey the prime minister's concerns to Chinese President Xi Jinping.