China, Bangladesh complete feasibility study on FTA

China and Bangladesh announced the completion of the joint feasibility study on a China-Bangladesh free-trade agreement on Wednesday and the two sides also agreed to start negotiations on upgrading the bilateral investment agreement.

The announcement was made after a meeting between Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Beijing. The two leaders also witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents on policy exchange, economy, trade and investment, digital economy, inspection and quarantine, health care, education and media, and agreed to designate 2025 as the China-Bangladesh People-to-People Exchange Year.

During the meeting, Li and Hasina pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation in various fields.

Li said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties nearly half a century ago, bilateral relations have developed steadily, and China is willing to further align its development strategies with Bangladesh, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, strengthen cooperation on infrastructure construction, promote optimized and balanced development of bilateral trade, deepen cooperation on new energy, digital economy and industrial parks, and promote cultural, tourism, youth and sub-national exchanges to add more impetus to the two countries' respective modernization efforts.

China supports Chinese enterprises in strengthening industrial investment cooperation with Bangladesh and working together to enhance the resilience and safety of the industrial chain and supply chain, he added.

"We hope that Bangladesh will provide a good environment for Chinese enterprises to operate in Bangladesh," Li said, adding that China is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with Bangladesh in multilateral areas, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and better safeguard international fairness and justice, as well as the common interests of developing countries.

Hasina expressed appreciation for China's valuable support over the years, saying that China has made remarkable development achievements and become an example for other developing countries.

Bangladesh firmly supports and abides by the one-China policy and supports China's efforts to safeguard its core interests, she said, adding that, as next year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Bangladesh is willing to maintain closer high-level exchanges with China, enhance the exchange of experience in governance, and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation on economy, trade, infrastructure and finance.

She said Bangladesh will continue to actively participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, strengthen cooperation with China on international multilateral affairs, push for further all-round development of bilateral relations, and safeguard world peace and stability.

(With input from Xinhua)