Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Li Keqiang met in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The two signed nine instruments, including a 2,500 tonnes of rice donation for Myanmar refugees.
Beijing (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Bangladesh and China signed nine instruments in various sectors – five agreements, three memoranda of understanding and a document – on development, growth, investments, technical cooperation, culture and tourism.
Their respective prime ministers, Sheikh Hasina and Li Keqiang, met in Beijing, in the Great Hall of the People (seat of the National People’s Congress).
With the instruments, the two countries renewed their already strong bonds of friendship and economic collaboration.
Bangladesh is in fact a favoured place for Chinese companies, which have delocalised production to the South Asian country, taking advantage of low wages and almost non-existent labour regulations.
The instruments signed by the two Asian nation include aid for Rohingya Muslim refugees, who fled Myanmar two years ago and are hosted in camps in southern Bangladesh, waiting for repatriation.
Under the Letter of Exchange (LoC) on the Rohingya Refugees Rice Aid, China pledged to donate 2,500 tonnes of rice to displaced Rohingya.
Speaking about the latter’s repatriation, the Chinese prime minister acknowledged that “There is no doubt that it’s a big problem for Bangladesh.”
Li then reiterated the need to address the crisis bilaterally with the Myanmar government and reassured his guest that China – which has various of its own interests in Myanmar – will play its part.