Bangladeshi minister expects more support from China in shipping sector

DHAKA - Bangladeshi Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit will come as a big boon for Bangladesh.

The minister said the visit would usher in a new hope of further widening the areas of cooperation between the two countries.

"I think that his visit will bring many good messages for Bangladesh," he told Xinhua.

Khan, an influential member of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's cabinet since 2009, said China has already become one of Bangladesh's largest development partners.

"China is immensely contributing to our honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina government's efforts to further develop Bangladesh economy and infrastructure."

He said the visit will not merely further develop Bangladesh-China relations but also surely pave way for Bangladesh to have more support from China in various sectors.

"We need more support from China to implement as many as eight mega projects in shipping sector," he said. "Hope we'll get support from China for all these infrastructure development project."

Meanwhile, Khan said Chinese support will not merely benefit the two countries, but inject dynamism into the regional economies including Bhutan, India, Myanmar and Nepal.

He said the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, or the Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China could stimulate sustainable Asian and global economic growth,

"Hope the visit will also help to expedite the implementation process of the BCIM-EC (Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar Economic Corridor) and many other development initiatives."

He expressed his belief that greater economic cooperation between the two countries will help each other henceforth.

The minister stressed the need for further development of Bangladesh-China relations in various fields.

"We're keenly waiting to welcome President Xi," he said.

Xi will be visiting Dhaka this week at the invitation of his Bangladeshi counterpart President Abdul Hamid.