Chinese minister to visit Dhaka next week

Dhaka and Beijing expect holding comprehensive discussion on Chinese investment and support in commerce, agriculture, industrial and infrastructure development in Bangladesh during Chinese Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng's visit on August 25-26.

During the visit, several deals may be signed, including a memorandum of understanding, for construction of a convention centre with Chinese assistance at Purbachal, said Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, senior secretary to the commerce ministry.

The convention centre to be named as Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre will be built on 20 acres of land at a cost of Tk 796 crore. China will provide 79 percent of the total cost as grant.

Once completed, the new venue will start organising annual trade fair instead of its present temporary venue at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar near Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka.

"Apart from signing the MoU, we will also discuss different bilateral trade issues as China is an important trade partner for Bangladesh," Mamoon told The Daily Star.

Issues related to the signing of a free-trade agreement and establishment of a Chinese economic and industrial zone at Anwara upazila in Chittagong will get priority in the talks, diplomatic sources said.

In 2013-14 fiscal, Bangladesh imported $7.54 billion worth of goods from China and $6.32 billion in 2012-13, according to data from the commerce ministry.

In contrast, Bangladesh exported $746 million worth of goods to China in 2013-14 fiscal and $458.12 million in 2012-13 fiscal, the data shows.

Garment exports to China from Bangladesh accelerated by 73.48 percent year-on-year to $241.37 million in 2013-14 fiscal.

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority has already sought Tk 420 crore from the finance ministry for land acquisition to set up the proposed special economic zone for Chinese investment at Anwara.

The Chinese minister will lead a delegation to a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali and other high government officials.

He will also meet President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as part of his visit to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations.