KUALA LUMPUR: China and Canada have expressed interest in strengthening cooperation with Bangladesh in trade, investment and humanitarian aid, particularly in supporting the displaced Rohingya population, according to the Bangladesh High Commission in Malaysia.
It said the matter was conveyed by Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, and his Canadian counterpart, Anita Anand, during separate bilateral meetings with the Adviser for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, Md Touhid Hossain, on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings here.
During the meeting with China, Hossain expressed deep appreciation for China’s political and development support, reiterating Bangladesh’s call for an urgent and immediate solution to the Rohingya crisis and seeking China’s support in this regard.
“He also urged China to support Bangladesh at regional and multilateral platforms, including in the United Nations,” it said in a statement.
It added that Hossain is leading the Bangladesh delegation to the 32nd ASEAN Regional Forum Ministerial Meeting held in conjunction with the 58th AMM and related meetings.
The High Commission said Wang Yi reaffirmed Beijing’s full support for the reform initiatives led by the Bangladeshi Government under Chief Adviser, Prof. Muhammad Yunus, with potential areas of cooperation including medical tourism and water management.
“Recalling the recent China-Bangladesh Investment Conference, he (Wang Yi) expressed China’s interest to work with Bangladesh in sectors such as textiles, energy, light engineering,” it said.
On the meeting with Anand, the High Commission said both sides explored ways to expand bilateral relations, especially in the areas of trade, including through trade diversification and resilience building.
“The Canadian Foreign Minister also reaffirmed Canada’s support in addressing the longstanding Rohingya crisis,” it added. – By Ahmad Aidil Syukri Hamzah/BERNAMA
