Dhaka: Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen today reaffirmed Beijing’s readiness to deepen its strategic partnership with Dhaka, emphasizing mutual respect, support, and cooperation amid evolving global economic challenges.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ambassador expressed China’s willingness to collaborate closely with Bangladesh during a ceremony marking the air shipment of the first consignment of Bangladeshi mangoes to China. The event took place at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital, with Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin in attendance. Yao highlighted the importance of stronger collaboration in light of global uncertainties, noting the disruptions in the global economic order caused by trade wars initiated by the United States.
Yao emphasized China’s commitment to enhancing multilateral engagement and trade facilitation between the two nations. He mentioned plans to strengthen coordination within frameworks like the WTO and promote integrated development of industrial and supply chains.
The ambassador described the export of Bangladeshi mangoes to China as a significant outcome of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus’s visit to Beijing earlier this year. This development is seen as a step towards correcting the trade imbalance and strengthening agricultural trade links between the countries.
Yao praised the unique quality of Bangladeshi mangoes, cultivated in the Ganges Delta, as environmentally friendly and high-quality produce. He noted that their entry into the Chinese market offers Chinese consumers a diverse selection of fruits, enhancing dietary variety.
The envoy highlighted the potential impact of access to the Chinese market for Bangladesh, including accelerating industrial advancement in the mango sector, generating employment opportunities, and contributing to broader socio-economic development. China is also reviewing market access for Bangladeshi guavas and jackfruits and exploring imports of other products, including raw animal hides and Hilsa fish.
Yao revealed that a Chinese trade delegation, led by H.E. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of China, will visit Bangladesh soon, marking the largest business delegation ever to visit the country. This visit aims to explore cooperation opportunities and elevate the Bangladesh-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
The ambassador reiterated Chinese President Xi Jinping’s commitment to global economic openness. Officials announced that 100 tonnes of fresh mangoes are expected to be exported to China, with the first 10-tonne consignment already flown to Changsha, Hunan Province, by SF Express.