ASIA

China supports Bangladesh development

14 years ago

Bangladesh has sought Chinas help for better connectivity which includes building of a new deep-sea port at Sonadia, 140 km south of the current hub at Chittagong

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni asked for support when meeting Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of Communist Party of China’s Central Committee.

The Chinese leader said Beijing in principle supported the projects and requested Bangladesh to continue discussions between the two governments for their early implementations.

More candidly the issue came up in a meeting between Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping and former Banglageshi Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Vice President Jingpin said China would actively consider participating in the construction of Sonadia adding China was ready to work together with Bangladesh in establishing road and rail links between Chittagong and Kunming for growing connectivity in the region.

China’s support, so publically signalled, could galvanise the project. This would not only create much more port capacity in Bangladesh but with related overland infrastructure would ease congestion in the Malacca Straits.