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China looks positive

Ready to participate in deep-sea project, set up road, rail links with Dhaka thru'Myanmar

UNB, Dhaka
China says Bangladesh's proposed deep seaport in Sonadia Island is of strategic importance to the country and is helpful to become the regional transportation and logistic centre.
“So long Bangladesh side shows enough will and determination, this project can obtain positive progress very soon," outgoing Chinese Ambassador Zhang Xianyi made the remarks in his pre-
departure interview with UNB on Saturday.
During Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Beijing last year, Bangladesh sought the Chinese assistance to build the deep seaport.
The ambassador said Chinese enterprises have advanced technologies, equipments and ample funds.
He said China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd., having rich experience in this sector, has set up its office in Dhaka and is ready to participate in this project in commercial manner.
Xianyi said Chinese enterprises are also ready to cooperate with enterprises from other countries to jointly take part in this project.
Asked about the much talked about tri-nation road and rail links, he said China stands ready to work together with Bangladesh and Myanmar to establish the road and railway links among the three countries at an earlier date.
“There are already several routes that connect China and Myanmar. For routes between Bangladesh and Myanmar, I hope Bangladesh can have more consultation with Myanmar to push this process forward."
The ambassador said the Chinese side always attaches importance to the connectivity among China, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
“'We believe, this is conducive to the economic, cultural, people to people links, and to peace and stability of this region.''
Asked about Chinese assistance in dredging of riverbeds in Bangladesh, Ambassador Xianyi said that against the backdrop of climate change, river dredging becomes even more important.
Each year, the Chinese government provides training to Bangladeshi officials and technicians, he said.
On September last year, he said China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd was selected to implement a project for Jamuna River dredging (14 kms).
Asked about the con-
struction of the 7th and 8th Friendship Bridges, the ambassador said that the construction contract on the 7th China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge at Kazirtek was signed on January 3 this year and the works will start very soon.
About the 8th Friendship Bridge, he said consultations are going on between the two countries and hopefully, there will be a positive result soon.
Asked about bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Xianyi said the two-way trade volume in the first 11 months of 2011 reached $7.5 billion with an increase of 21.3 percent compared with the same period in 2010.
Bangladesh's export to China reached $400 million,
an increase of 79.5 percent, while the Chinese investment in Bangladesh in 2011 amounted to more than $200 million.
Ambassador Xianyi said Bangladesh and China signed agreements on introduction of 3G technology and expansion of 2.5G network as well as construction of Shahjalal Fertilizer Factory. The construction work will start very soon.
Besides, China exempted debts of Bangladesh worth more than 600 million RMB.
Asked about providing duty-free access to more Bangladesh products, the ambassador said that since July 1, 2010, China began offering zero tariff treatment to 4,762 Bangladesh products, covering 70 percent of Bangladesh exports to
China.
As a result, he said Bangladesh's export to China has increased by 91 percent in 2010 and 79.5 percent in 2011.
“As next step, China will increase this ratio to 97 percent,” he said, adding Bangladeshi businesses can make full use of widely open Chinese market and increase their exports to China.
Replying to a question about easing visa regime for Bangladeshi businessmen and tourists, Xianyi said the Chinese embassy has already eased the visa procedure for Bangladeshi business community.
In 2011, the Embassy of China issued visas to more than 20,000 Bangladesh citizens.