China, Bangladesh to step up efforts to build economic corridor

Beijing: China has invited Bangladesh to join its plan to construct a Maritime Silk Road (MSR) to promote trade and commerce in the region and the two countries agreed to step up efforts to build the economic corridor linking Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM). [caption id=“attachment_1566117” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.[/caption] Visiting Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met Chinese President Xi Jinping here last night during which the MSR and BCIM figured prominently. Both leaders pledged to make joint efforts to build BCIM, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. “Bangladesh is an important country along the Maritime Silk Road,” Xi said during the meeting, noting that China welcomes the Bangladeshi side’s participation in the construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, while pushing ahead with the economic corridor. The moves will help to build a community of shared interests between China and Bangladesh, and benefit the people of the two countries and the region at large, Xi said. The concepts of the belt and maritime route were first proposed by Xi last year. The Silk Road connected China and Europe from around 100 BC, while the Maritime Silk Road was reportedly used by Chinese merchants to transport silk, ceramics and tea to overseas markets. Sri Lanka has extended its backing for MSR while China has invited India to take part in it. Echoing Xi’s proposal on the belt and maritime route, Hasina said the four-nation economic corridor is of great significance for the development of South Asia and that her country will play an active role in its construction, Xinhua report said. According to a joint statement, the two sides recognised that the development of the corridor would constitute an important vehicle to complement various regional connectivity initiatives and provide an important avenue for strengthening cooperation and sustainable development. China and Bangladesh agreed to remain actively engaged towards the development of the corridor along with other countries, and expressed their hope of realising mutually beneficial and result-oriented cooperation among the four countries, the statement said. During the meeting, Xi said China attaches great importance to its ties with Bangladesh and regards the country as an important cooperative partner in South Asia and the Indian Ocean region. Hasina and the Chinese premier witnessed the signing of a string of deals regarding economic and technical cooperation, feasibility study of flood prevention and management in Bangladesh, and the construction of a multi-lane road tunnel project under the River Karnaphuli. PTI