China will provide support to the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), including expediting its feasibility study, as Bangladesh and China agreed to deepen cooperation in water resources management and maritime affairs during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit to Beijing.
The commitment was made in a joint communiqué issued following Tarique Rahman’s five-day official visit to China from 22 to 26 June at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
According to the communiqué, the Chinese side will provide support and assistance, within its capacity, for the implementation of the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project.
China also agreed to support experts from both countries in accelerating the project’s feasibility study and related technical work.
The two countries further agreed to strengthen cooperation in integrated water resources management, water resources planning, hydrological forecasting, flood prevention and disaster risk reduction, river dredging, and the sharing of related technologies.
Bangladesh and China also agreed to enhance cooperation in maritime affairs as part of their broader efforts to strengthen bilateral collaboration.
The communiqué said both sides agreed to elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and work towards building a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era.
During the visit, the two countries signed several agreements covering development cooperation, human resources, agriculture, education, trade and investment, and media cooperation.
The two sides also agreed to establish a strategic dialogue mechanism between their foreign ministers and explore a “2+2” dialogue framework involving their foreign and defence ministries.
In the economic sector, China reaffirmed its commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, e-commerce, industrial and supply chains, and investment.
Bangladesh welcomed China’s zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of tariff lines and pledged to facilitate greater Chinese investment.
The communiqué also highlighted plans to jointly advance the Mongla Port Facilities Modernisation and Expansion Project and the Chinese Economic and Industrial Zone in Chattogram.
Beyond economic cooperation, the two countries agreed to expand collaboration in connectivity, science and technology, information and communications, green energy, climate change, disaster management, public health, education and people-to-people exchanges.
On regional issues, China reiterated its support for efforts to resolve the Rohingya crisis through dialogue and reaffirmed its willingness to facilitate discussions between Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions (Summer Davos) in Dalian during his visit and held separate meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
