Dhaka, Beijing likely to sign multiple cooperation documents

Bangladesh and China are likely to sign multiple MoUs and agreements during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's two-day visit that begins on Saturday morning.

Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam said the list is not finalized yet and it can be five-seven – new and renewal including cooperation on the disaster management front, reports UNB.

He said the Chinese Foreign Minister is scheduled to arrive here at 11am on Saturday while he will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday morning.

Minister Wang Yi will also have a bilateral meeting with his Bangladesh counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen on the same day to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues.

Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader will host a dinner in honour of the Chinese Foreign Minister on Saturday evening, Shahriar said.

Foreign Minister Momen is expected to return home on Saturday night after attending the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting on August 5-6 in Cambodia. It is not yet decided who will receive the Chinese Foreign Minister.

Responding to a question, the State Minister said Bangladesh will seek a stronger role from the Chinese government for early repatriation of the Rohingyas.

Earlier, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen said taking a new loan from China will not be a part of their agenda during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's upcoming Bangladesh visit.

"This time, the issue of taking loan afresh isn't there at least," he said on Wednesday when a reporter wanted to know whether Bangladesh is going to take a loan from China again.

Asked what message this visit carries amid the crisis in various parts of the world, the foreign secretary said it will be known once the Chinese foreign minister comes. "We are working on the visit. Things are yet to be finalised."

He reiterated that the visit is part of the Chinese side's routine visit to the region and also it is an opportunity to review the existing engagements between the two countries.

"It can't be said (there's) urgency (from the Chinese side). Since he will be visiting this region, he expressed the desire to come here if we can give him time. We are looking into the timings," he said earlier when a reporter wanted to know why there was so much urgency from the Chinese side.

In January 2017, Wang Yi had an hour-long stopover in Dhaka. "This time, he will be coming for a longer period," said the foreign secretary.