Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed today agreed to expand cooperation on trade, technology and international issues, according to dpa. Wen said his government would encourage Chinese firms to invest more in Bangladesh and help build transportation, energy and other infrastructure projects, state television reported. The two sides should also increase cooperation in agriculture, poverty alleviation and disaster relief, and "maintain the fundamental interests" of developing nations on major international issues such as climate change and reform of the United Nations, China Central Television quoted him as saying. "China is willing to work with Bangladesh to deepen cooperation in all fields," Wen said, adding that China "will continue to supply aid" to Bangladesh. Wen and Hasina agreed to sign a joint statement and later attended the signing of bilateral deals covering fields including economic and technological cooperation, the broadcaster said without giving details of the agreements. Bangladeshi diplomats said earlier that Hasina would seek a waiver of an 800-million-dollar loan, plus Chinese cooperation in construction of a bridge, agriculture, and building a new deep-sea port. The two governments were expected to sign three agreements during Hasina's five-day visit, her first official trip to China since her Awami League-led coalition government assumed office in early 2009, Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said on Wednesday. An agreement on protection of investment, construction of a fertilizer factory, and economic and technical cooperation were expected to be inked during the trip, Moni said. In an editorial published on Thursday in China Daily, the Chinese goverment's official English-language newspaper, Moni said Bangladesh and China shared "common perceptions on many regional and international issues such as human rights, climate change, UN reforms, non-proliferation, terrorism and regional cooperation." "China ... remains a major partner in Bangladesh's socio-economic development endeavour, providing Bangladesh with technical and financial assistance for building bridges, roads, power plants, factories, convention centers etc," Moni said. She said Bangladesh expressed its "deep appreciation and gratitude" for China's "continued support rendered to Bangladesh in all possible ways." Trade between Bangladesh and China was valued at 4.6 billion dollars in 2009 with a 3.5-billion-dollar trade deficit for Bangladesh. Hasina was scheduled to meet Chinese President Hu Jintao on Friday before travelling to the south-western city of Kunming for talks on connecting the landlocked city with Bangladesh via Myanmar.
