The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has called for greater Chinese cooperation to enhance the skills and technological capacity of Bangladeshi entrepreneurs.
The request was made during a bilateral trade discussion between DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed and Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen on Monday, at the Embassy of China in Dhaka.
Taskeen Ahmed highlighted the total bilateral trade between Bangladesh and China, which amounted to USD 17.35 billion in FY2024.
He emphasised that the sustainable socio-economic development of Bangladesh, particularly in light of the country’s LDC graduation, will rely heavily on strengthening its economic partnership with China. He urged China to expand its support in areas such as agriculture, agro-processing, ICT, renewable energy, automobile manufacturing, and healthcare.
He also called for China’s assistance in building the skills and technological capacity of Bangladesh’s entrepreneurs to ensure they remain competitive in global trade.
Yao Wen shared insights into China’s growing investments in Bangladesh, noting that over 20 Chinese companies in the RMG and textile sectors have committed nearly USD 800 million in the past year.
However, he pointed out that high tariffs and lack of supportive policies are hindering investments in emerging sectors like electric vehicles (EV).
The ambassador urged Bangladesh’s government to address these challenges and diversify its export basket to reduce reliance on the ready-made garment sector, which currently accounts for 85% of the country’s total exports.
He expressed hope that Bangladesh would prioritize sectors with high export potential and seek China’s technological support to improve production capacity.
