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38th Anniversary of Sino-Bangla relations

Mahbubur Rahman
CHINA is an amazing country. It has emerged as the most vibrant and strong nation. It has already occupied the centre stage of world economy, world politics and power. China's phenomenal rise in the shortest possible time, only about three decades or so, is a miracle story. Miracle is a myth, but it did happen in China, thanks to China's wise and able leadership, its pragmatic policies and national unity, solidarity and harmony.
China's economy is growing unabatedly. It is going to be world's largest economy very soon as predicted by the world economic prophets. China has the world's largest workforce with a population of 1.3 billion. It has abundance of natural resources. The World Bank's chief economist, Justin Lin, said in 2011 that China, which became the world's second largest economy in 2010, may become the world’s largest economy in 2030, overtaking the United States, if current trends continue. Standard Chartered Bank in a 2011 report suggested that China may become the world's largest economy in 2020. A 2007 OECD report by Angus Madison estimated that if using purchasing power parity conversions, then China will overtake the United States in 2015.
James Wolfensohn, former World Bank president, estimated in 2010 that by 2030 two-thirds of the world's middle class will live in China. The Director of the China Center for Economic Reform at Peking University, Yao Yang, said in 2011: "Assuming that the Chinese and US economies grow, respectively, by 8% and 3% in real terms, that China's inflation rate is 3.6% and America's is 2% (the averages of the last decade), and that the renminbi appreciates against the dollar by 3% per year (the average of the last six years), China would become the world's largest economy by 2021. By that time, both countries' GDP will be about $24 trillion."
October is a great month for China, a month of national celebration. China celebrated the 64th anniversary of the founding of PRC. It is again a great month for both of Bangladesh and China. It is in this month of October (October 4) that we established our diplomatic relationship. This year we celebrated the 38th anniversary of the founding of diplomatic relationship.
China and Bangladesh are bound by ancient ties. Our very distant forefathers contacted each other more than 2,500 years ago. Relationship flourished. The two great neighbouring civilisations mixed and mingled, enriching their histories and cultures. And in that whole process the present land of Bangladesh was all through the focal point and the pivot of the relationship in the entire region of South Asia and beyond.
Ever since the establishment of formal relationship between Bangladesh and China in 1975, it has been growing smoothly and steadily, standing the test of time. The history of nearly forty years has proved that China and Bangladesh have set a unique example of friendship and cooperation, partnership and brotherhood, uninterrupted, unhindered, and growing unabatedly. It is cited as a model of bilateral relationship of two countries with different political ideologies and social and cultural systems.
China showed utmost respect for our independence and sovereignty and walked extra miles to assist and support Bangladesh in every sector of its national life, economy, trade, commerce, industry, infrastructure building and strengthening of its national defence. They share identical views In international affairs. Bangladesh has always extended its unequivocal support on the issues of Taiwan and Tibet and is totally committed to its long standing One China Policy. Bangladesh firmly believes that Taiwan is a province of China and Tibet an integral and inseparable part. Bangladesh and China both have serious geopolitical, geostrategical and geoeconomical interest in each other and both share common grounds.
Bangladesh seeks connectivity with China. We seek to develop direct connectivity through rail and road from Chittagong to Kunming via Myanmar. I may mention that Chittagong and Kunming have been given the status of sister cities by the respective governments. This landmark land connectivity will mark the revival and reincarnation of the ancient Southern Silk Road in this part of the region of South and Southeast Asia. It will open the floodgate of development of the two countries and facilitate cooperation in trade, commerce, industry, economy and culture. We seek to develop our sea connectivity and economy by developing and modernising our seaports and establishing a deep-sea port near Chittagong with Chinese assistance, as China did in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
We seek China's help in our efforts to mitigate the severe effects of climate change in the shape of floods and natural calamities. We seek its support in river training and dredging. China has an enormous reservoir of knowhow and expertise which we want to share. We seek Chinese assistance in water resource management. The river Brahmaputra, Yarlong Zangpo Jiang as China calls it, is the common river that flows from Tibet to Bangladesh. We seek China's cooperation to develop use of renewable energy -solar, wind power and bio gas.
We welcome China's direct investment (FDI) and establishment of an EPZ exclusively for China and relocation of her low end industries such as garment and leather. We seek assistance in exploration of our valuable natural resources -oil and gas - under the Bay of Bengal.
We seek China's support and assistance to strengthen and modernise our armed forces, especially our navy. We want a three-dimensional blue water navy to secure the marine resources and consolidate the sovereignty of our maritime boundary, including exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and extended continental shelf.
I was invited to China by PLA in 1996 when I was the Chief of Army Staff. During that visit I had the privilege to meet with His Excellency Jiang Zemin, the President of China. I remember, President Jiang told me: “China has changed a lot. It is not the same China which you saw when you lived here in the '80s". He said: "ft is a modem China, developed China and it is a new generation, a new leadership." He also said: "The world is changing. I heard Dhaka skyline has also changed. But in all these changes one thing has not changed and it will never change, and that is our relationship with Bangladesh, our policy for Bangladesh." He said: "I assure you, General, China will ever remain a friend. In time of need she will be always beside you." He also said: "The relationship between China and Bangladesh is of friendship, friendship and friendship and nothing but friendship." His words still ring in my ears. I treasure them. I believe this epitomises our common national ethos and our two countries' true relationship in the 21 st century and beyond.
With China's new leadership and President Xi Jinping at the helm of affairs, China is looking forward to a very bright future ahead. President Xi has expressed his resolution to the realisation of the China Dream, Zhongguo Meng. China dream is a lofty aspiration of the whole people of China, who want to turn it to reality in the coming decades. It is the revival of China's glories, revival of the renaissance, revival of its golden era of peace, progress, prosperity and bounty, revival of China's true charm and beauty. President Xi is an old friend of Bangladesh. He has very high regards for Bangladesh, which he repeatedly expressed. He speaks of best relationship with close neighbours of South and Southeast Asia. He assured his utmost cooperation and friendship in all areas of our bilateral relationship. He visited Bangladesh in 2010 when he was vice president. The prime minister and the leader of the opposition of Bangladesh visited China and were assured by him of China's all-out support for Bangladesh in all sectors.
I firmly believe that China, in the quest for revival of her golden era of peace, progress, prosperity, values and ideals, wants to take along its neighbours. China looks South and Southeast. South Asia and Southeast Asia also look East. And all the visions of the region do converge at a point, and that is Bangladesh. We have enormous opportunities to explore China's unlimited resources and expertise and her goodwill. We can both rise together hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, supporting each other, and can build Bangladesh as truly Golden Bengal, most peaceful and most prosperous.
The writer is a Former Chief of Staff, Bangladesh Army.