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PM ANWAR’S VISIT TO CHINA TO BOOST KL-BEIJING STRATEGIC TIES

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BEIJING, March 29 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s three-day official visit to China from Thursday is expected to open a new chapter in strengthening the strategic relationship between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing in a more comprehensive way.

This is Anwar’s maiden visit to this East Asian country since taking office last November.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said this visit is historic and meaningful, considering that the prime minister had received an invitation from the Chinese government to visit the republic only four months after being sworn in to lead the new Malaysian government.

This year also marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Malaysia-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the two countries would also celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations next year.

“This clearly shows the aspirations of the Chinese government, especially President Xi Jinping who has just been appointed as President for the third term, to forge closer ties with the Anwar’s Unity Government,” he told the media here late last night.

Zambry said Anwar is also one of the first world leaders to visit Beijing after Xi’s re-appointment earlier this month.

The prime minister is expected to arrive here on Thursday evening after attending the Boao Annual Forum for Asia in Hainan and to be met on arrival by China’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Zambry said Anwar is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Xi on Friday, where discussions will focus on new steps that can be taken in various fields to boost and strengthen bilateral relations.

“They will also discuss concrete measures that can be taken in the field of trade, political cooperation, prevention of corruption, and civilisational issues,” he said.

Zambry said the two leaders will also exchange opinions on the direction of bilateral relations taking into account the increasingly challenging international scenario.

This will be followed by a meeting with the Chairman of the National People’s Congress Zhao Leji where the discussion will focus on cooperation at the parliamentarian level of both countries.

On Saturday evening, Anwar will be accorded an official welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, which will be followed by a bilateral meeting.

“The discussion between the two leaders will focus on detailing the steps that can be taken, especially in the fields of economy, trade and investment,” said Zambry.

He said in addition to deliberating concrete efforts to increase trade and closer relations between the two countries, Anwar is also expected to discuss issues of mutual interest during his meeting with the Chinese leaders including international and regional geopolitical issues, as well as security and stability in the Indo-Pacific.

The prime minister is also scheduled to deliver a public lecture at Tsinghua University, which is one of the most distinguished universities in China, in addition to attending a round-table meeting with high-profile investors and Chinese captains of industry.

Anwar is also scheduled to deliver a keynote address at a business forum which will be attended by nearly 1,000 participants from Malaysia and China.

Despite his jam-packed itinerary, Anwar is also scheduled to attend a breaking of fast ceremony with Malaysians in China organised by the Malaysia-China Chamber of Commerce, which will also be attended by leaders of Muslim communities in China, Zambry said.

During the three-day visit, at least 14 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) related to trade and agriculture will be signed between the two countries.

Apart from Zambry, the Malaysian delegates comprised Minister of International Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, Minister of Transport Anthony Loke, Minister of Local Government Development Nga Kor Ming, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Chang Lih Kang and Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing.

China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009. The value of trade between Malaysia and China in 2022 has reached 17.1 per cent of Malaysia’s total global trade worth RM2.8 trillion.

The total trade between the two countries in 2022 was RM487.13 billion, which is an increase of 15.6 per cent compared to the previous year.

— BERNAMA 

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Malaysia’s Anwar faces balancing act on first China trip

The Malaysian leader is expected to navigate between deepening economic ties and tackling differences in talks with China’s Xi Jinping.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is expected to navigate between deepening economic ties with his country’s biggest trading partner and tackling thorny issues such as the South China Sea during his first visit to China as prime minister, analysts say.

Anwar will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday as part of a four-day visit that will also see him hold talks with Chinese business leaders and Premier Li Qiang.

Anwar’s talks with Xi are expected to focus on “concrete measures that can be taken in the fields of trade, political cooperation, prevention of corruption and civilisational issues,” Malaysian Foreign Minister Zambry Abdul Kadir said on Wednesday.

Anwar, who arrived in China on Wednesday, is also scheduled to meet with National People’s Congress Chairman Zhao Leji and executives of the China Communications Construction Company, the contractor of Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link project.

Anwar, who was elected as Malaysia’s 10th prime minister in November, is making his visit against the backdrop of an escalating United States-China trade and tech war that complicates Malaysia’s efforts to maintain positive relations with the world’s two biggest superpowers.

China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching $203.6bn in 2022, but Kuala Lumpur also maintains close economic and security ties with the US – two-way trade hit $72.9bn last year – which has sanctioned numerous Chinese firms that form part of the global supply chain.

Malaysia is the world’s sixth-largest exporter of semiconductors, accounting for 6.3 percent of the world’s total. The chips, crucial components of everyday electronics, have been a key target of US sanctions aimed at hobbling China’s tech sector.

If Malaysia wishes to boost cooperation with China, especially in the tech sector, it will need to consider the possibility of US pressure and how to “navigate the delicate line of advancing technological cooperation for national interests while still being able to convince both US and China that such cooperation will not affect bilateral relations politically,” Hoo Chiew Ping, an international relations lecturer at the National University of Malaysia, told Al Jazeera.

Further US sanctions could potentially affect some Malaysian companies that form part of China’s supply chain, said Ngeow Chow Bing, the director of Universiti Malaya’s Institute of China Studies.

“So far that hasn’t happened yet on a large scale but that is something which we have to watch out for,” Ngeow told Al Jazeera. Shahriman Lockman, director at the Kuala Lumpur-based Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS), said Malaysia “will simply have to adapt” and try to find opportunities even as US-China relations become more fraught.

“Anwar knows this,” Lockman told Al Jazeera. “In China, Anwar is bound to be effusive about the relationship. That’s simply what one does in Beijing. After all, this year is the 10th anniversary of the Malaysia-China comprehensive strategic partnership. And next year is the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.”

For Southeast Asia, which has traditionally sought to balance its relations with great powers, the US-China rivalry has been a blessing and a curse.

Malaysia has been among the biggest beneficiaries of trade and investment diversion as US and Chinese companies seek to diversify their geographic exposure to trade restrictions. A 2019 report by Nomura found that Malaysia was the fourth-biggest winner of the US-China trade war, after Vietnam, Taiwan and Chile, with exports of waste and scrap alloy, natural gas and benzol all benefitting from the tensions.

China’s overall direct investment in Malaysia rose to 9.7 billion Malaysian ringgit ($2.2bn) in 2022, up 23.5 percent from 7.9 billion ringgit ($1.8bn) in 2021. The US was Malaysia’s top source of investment last year, investing 43.9 billion ringgit ($9.9bn), followed by Singapore and Japan.

“Anwar is likely to promote Malaysia as the destination of choice for Chinese investors seeking to lessen the impact of the trade war as well as to find new markets in the region,” Yeah Kim Leng, an economics professor at Malaysia’s Sunway University and a member of an advisory committee to Anwar, told Al Jazeera.

“Since Malaysia imports more from China than it exports, it will be a good opportunity for the PM to push for China to import more from Malaysia,” Yeah said.

Yeah added that Malaysia could also tap into China’s rapidly advancing digital technologies to enhance the productivity and competitiveness of its small and medium-sized sectors.

Analysts suggest that Anwar will be cautious about raising sensitive issues during his trip, including China’s treatment of the Uighurs and other ethnic minority Muslims, whose plight he highlighted during his many years as an opposition leader.

“I believe that Anwar will take a pragmatic approach towards China. Being a prime minister and no longer a mere opposition leader, Anwar can no longer afford to make references of a less constructive character when it comes to China. It’s just what it is,” said Lockman of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

“So I don’t believe that he’ll be raising the issue of Uighurs, though he’ll probably underscore the need to respect international law in the South China Sea. Anwar needs to think of Malaysia first.”

Ngeow of Universiti Malaya said the possibility of Anwar raising the Uighur issue in private is “quite low” but cannot be ruled out. Ngeow added, however, that the South China Sea dispute – Beijing claims sovereignty over more than 90 percent of the strategic waterway despite the territorial claims of several Southeast Asian countries including Malaysia – is likely to be raised in private as well as noted publicly using restrained language.

Chinese Coast Guard ships have frequently sailed into Malaysia’s exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, where Malaysia’s state-owned Petronas gas and oil company is drilling for hydrocarbons.

In 2021, 16 Chinese military aircraft came within 60 nautical miles (112 km) of Sarawak state, prompting Kuala Lumpur to summon the Chinese ambassador and accuse Beijing of posing a “serious threat to national sovereignty and flight safety”. China’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur said at the time its aircraft had been exercising “the freedom of overflight in the relevant airspace”.

Hoo of the University of Malaysia believes it will be crucial for Anwar to discuss the South China Sea issue during his trip. “One main issue is to avoid inevitable clashes on the sea between the Coast Guard and to ensure incidents like the PLAAF (People’s Liberation Army Air Force) incursion over Malaysian maritime airspace will not occur again in private conversation,” Hoo said.

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Groups optimistic PM’s first official visit to China will be fruitful

Saturday, 25 Mar 2023

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PETALING JAYA: Business groups are hopeful for more positive bilateral trade and technology transfer between Malaysia and China in the run-up to the first official visit by Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the Middle Kingdom.

They said the Prime Minister’s visit is the “most important diplomatic event” between both countries since the Covid-19 pandemic.

Besides inking more business projects at the government-to-government (G2G) and business-to-business (B2B) levels, they are hopeful for the visa requirement to be made easier for travellers to boost tourism and business visits.

Malaysia-China Business Council director Datuk Beh Hang Kong said the premier’s visit to China would help to set several matters straight.

“We have experienced several changes of prime ministers in recent years, and some did not get to make any visits due to the pandemic.

“So the coming official trip is important to clear up doubt that the Prime Minister is not giving enough focus on the Malaysia-China relationship.

“His visit will strengthen existing strong bilateral ties and build on them to welcome more cooperation,” he said in an interview.

Beh called on the government to expand the successful “Two Countries, Twin Parks” project to include multiple zones in the country to allow Chinese investors to shift their bases to Malaysia, especially when there is a sanction by the United States.

“The cooperation model is proven to work. China is in the midst of developing similar projects with Indonesia and the Philippines.

“It’s past time we upped the game and expanded it to become the ‘Two Countries, Twin Parks, Multiple Zones’ project to reap more economic benefits,” he added.

“Two Countries, Twin Parks” is a flagship national-level investment collaboration and a key project that is part of the Belt and Road Initiative.

The China-Malaysia Qinzhou Industrial Park in Guangxi opened in 2012, and the Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park opened a year later in Malaysia.

Beh said the “Two Countries, Twin Halal Parks” project could be viewed as Malaysia’s outstanding and internationally acclaimed halal certification system that could benefit China’s massive halal market.

“We can cater to halal certification for China products, as well as other Islamic markets,” he said.

He also called for a less-hassle visa requirement, allowing Chinese visitors visa-on-arrival like what was practised before this.

“Right now, Malaysians can visit Hainan Island in China visa-free for a week. Perhaps we can offer Sabah a similar visa-free requirement to Chinese tourists,” he said.

Weighing in, the Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia treasurer-general Datuk Koong Lin Loong said the existing visa requirement was what we lost out on compared with neighbouring countries that have also been attracting Chinese investors and visitors.

“We have what it takes to attract Chinese investors.

“But we also see that some of them have been investing in other countries.”

He said Anwar’s upcoming visit would bring a positive message to China that Malaysia is still a good choice for their businesses to expand in South-East Asia.

“This is our Prime Minister’s first visit to China, which coincidentally also has a new administration led by its president Xi Jinping,” said Koong.

“Both Malaysia and China take this visit seriously as China has been our largest trading partner in the last 14 years, with bilateral trade reaching a record high of US$203.6bil (RM901.5bil) last year.

“It is also the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Malaysia comprehensive strategic partnership this year and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties next year,” added Koong.

As the nation transitions into endemicity, he said, Malaysia was putting more focus on hi-tech and digital technology development, including pharmaceuticals and modern farming, for which China has much to offer in terms of knowledge and technology.

“Malaysia’s economy is reliant on foreign investment. This visit will certainly see more collaborations to allow more technology transfer to Malaysia,” he added.

Koong expressed hope that more mega projects with Chinese investors’ involvement could take place, such as the revival of the High-Speed Rail project and infrastructure development in the peninsula and in Sabah and Sarawak.

“This will be a good spin-off for Malaysia’s economy in the next five years, especially with the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 to restructure Malaysia into a knowledge-based economy where citizens can enjoy a decent standard of living,” he said.

Tags / Keywords: Anwar Ibrahim , China , visit

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Malaysian PM Anwar’s visit to China the start of more Chinese investments, say business groups

Business groups in Malaysia have lauded Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s visit to China, during which 19 agreements were signed to boost investments in green technology, digital economy and modern agriculture.

The Star reported the groups as saying the visit will send a strong and positive signal to international investors, as well as boost investments between the two countries.

SME Association of Malaysia president Ding Hong Sing welcomed the signings, saying it was good news to local industries, especially the small and medium-sized businesses.

“It will create a ripple effect. China is known for its high-technology expertise and Malaysia will be able to learn a lot from their side,” he said.

Datuk Seri Anwar was on a four-day official visit to China, which ended on Saturday.

During his visit, he met Chinese leaders including President Xi Jinping, as well as business leaders.

Mr Anwar on Saturday described his maiden official visit as an achievement that brought great benefits to the country.

“The hospitality received and focus given (by Chinese leaders and business figures) were extraordinary. I consider this a very positive development. This visit is of great benefit to Malaysians,” he told Malaysian media on Saturday night.

The visit saw Malaysia securing RM170 billion (S$51.2 billion) worth of investment commitments from China.

The amount, the biggest so far from China, is from a total of 19 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) signed between businesses in China and Malaysia in various fields, especially in green technology and the digital economy sectors.

Mr Anwar also extended an invitation for Mr Xi to visit Malaysia in 2024 to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

According to Malaysian national news agency Bernama, Mr Xi last visited Malaysia in 2013 when the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement was signed.

Associated Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Malaysia treasurer-general Koong Lin Loong, who was part of Malaysia’s trade delegation to Beijing, said Mr Anwar’s visit would send a positive message to foreign investors, particularly Chinese investors, that Malaysia was a close trading partner.

“The 19 MOUs are a great milestone related to various sectors including electronic vehicles, electronics, big data and digitalisation. They will definitely have a good impact on the country,” he said.

Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Nivas Ragavan said the commitments were seen as a good sign for China and Malaysia to boost trade relations.

“The investments from China will definitely serve as an impetus to science and technological innovation, digital economy, green economy, modern agriculture and bio-medicine,” he added.

“China is already at the forefront globally in those areas, and its partnership with Malaysia would definitely enhance the latter in these fields.”

Mr Nivas said the Chinese investments will open up opportunities for strategic partnerships between small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in both countries.

“Our local SMEs need a shot in the arm and these partnerships with China companies will definitely push the SMEs to grow.”

Malay Chamber of Commerce Malaysia acting president Norsyahrin Hamidon said that the chamber remained supportive of the government’s move to bring in investments from China.

“It is high time. We need to be able to tap the large market that China has to offer.”

China has been Malaysia’s largest trading partner since 2009. Total trade between the two countries reached RM487 billion in 2022.

China was also the top investor in Malaysia in 2022, contributing 21 per cent of the RM264.6 billion investments Kuala Lumpur approved that year.

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Visit by Premier of the People’s Republic of China

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Premier of the People’s Republic of China, Li Qiang, to Australia as a Guest of Government from Saturday 15 June to Tuesday 18 June 2024.

This will be the first visit to Australia by a Chinese Premier since 2017.

Prime Minister Albanese and Premier Li will hold the Annual Leaders’ Meeting at Parliament House in Canberra, where they will exchange views on bilateral, regional and international issues.

Premier Li will also travel to Adelaide and Perth. The leaders will engage with Australian and Chinese business leaders at the seventh Australia-China CEO Roundtable. This will make a valuable contribution to strengthening relationships between business leaders in China and Australia.

During the visit, the leaders will also attend a community event to acknowledge the deep contribution of the more than one million members of the Chinese-Australian community to our nation’s multicultural success story.

Premier Li’s visit to Australia follows Prime Minister Albanese’s visit to Beijing in November last year, where leaders agreed to resume key bilateral dialogues and to further a number of areas of cooperation.

Quotes attributable to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia is an important opportunity to engage directly on key issues for both our nations. “China is Australia’s largest trading partner and our economic relationship continues to bring substantial benefits to both our countries. “Welcoming the Chinese Premier to our shores is an opportunity for Australia to advance our interests by demonstrating our national values, our people’s qualities and our economy’s strengths.  “Australia continues to pursue a stable and direct relationship with China, with dialogue at its core. “We will cooperate where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest.”

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Follow our news, recent searches, prime minister lee hsien loong arrives in guangzhou at start of official visit to china, advertisement.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong visited an autonomous vehicle company WeRide and met Singaporeans in Guangdong in a reception on his first day.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Madam Ho Ching arrive in Guangzhou on Mar 27, 2023, and are received by Guangdong Vice Governor Zhang Xin (left) and the People's Republic of China Ambassador to Singapore Sun Hai Yan (right). (Photo: Ministry of Communications and Information)

Koh Wan Ting

SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in Guangzhou on Monday (Mar 27) at the start of his first trip to China in more than three years . 

Landing in Guangzhou at 12.19pm, Mr Lee was greeted by Chinese officials, including Guangdong Vice Governor Zhang Xin and the People’s Republic of China's Ambassador to Singapore Sun Hai Yan. 

He was accompanied by Madam Ho Ching, Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and National Development Sim Ann, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Law Rahayu Mahzam as well as other Singapore government officials.

Mr Lee's first stop was autonomous driving technology company WeRide, headquartered at the Biotech Island of Guangzhou. 

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in Guangzhou on Monday (Mar 27) at the start of his first trip to China in more than three years. Mr Lee was greeted by Chinese officials, including Guangdong Vice Governor Zhang Xin and the People’s Republic of China's Ambassador to Singapore Sun Hai Yan. Olivia Siong reports. 

WeRide, which provides driverless vehicles such as Robotaxis and Robovans, currently counts Singapore public transport operator SMRT and venture capital firm K3 Ventures as investors. 

The tech company signed a memorandum of understanding with SMRT subsidiary Strides last November as part of its plan to trial autonomous vehicles in Singapore in the second half of this year. WeRide aims to gradually expand operations to the rest of Southeast Asia. 

During his nearly half-hour visit at WeRide's premises, Mr Lee and his retinue were briefed on the company's operations, technology and reach. 

He also rode on one of WeRide's Robobuses - part of a fleet that is currently plying the roads of Guangzhou as a form of public transport. 

In the evening, Mr Lee met Singaporeans in Guangdong in a reception at the InterContinental Guangzhou Exhibition Center.

Received with cheers from a crowd of around 150 Singaporeans, Mr Lee spoke briefly on emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and about dealing with further global and local challenges. 

During his meetings with individual Singaporeans, Mr Lee also had a "good discussion" with them about their experiences living in China, the Prime Minister's press secretary told the media. 

During an interview with Chinese broadcaster China Central Television ahead of the trip, Mr Lee had described  relations between Singapore and China as "very good" . 

For his remaining five days, Mr Lee is slated to meet with more Chinese officials, including China's new premier Li Qiang , and speak at the Bo’ao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan. 

His visit, which ends on Apr 1, will include a meeting with China's President Xi Jinping in Beijing. 

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PM Visit to China Eyes 12 Major Deals

• Multi-sectoral initiative focusing on transport, communications, ICT, ports, power, energy, SEZs, and logistics hubs.
• Anticipated cooperation in infrastructure, trade, finance, digital economy, education, media, and southern region development.
• Focus on boosting commerce, trade, and investment in Bangladesh’s southern region.

Bangladesh and China are set to embark on a new phase of development cooperation. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will visit Beijing from July 8-11, with plans to finalize agreements on at least 12 major projects . This visit is anticipated to open a new chapter in their development partnership.

The foundation for these agreements was established during a consultation meeting in Beijing, where officials from both nations carefully prepared the project list to be announced during the visit.

Upcoming Visit and Future Cooperation

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit to China is expected to yield significant outcomes. The ambassador anticipates the signing of multiple ‘cooperation documents’ and joint announcements of major achievements. While specifics were not disclosed, discussions between the two countries are set to focus on a wide range of areas. These include infrastructure, trade, the financial sector, the digital economy, education, media cooperation, and the development of Bangladesh’s southern region. This comprehensive approach to bilateral cooperation indicates a deepening of ties between Bangladesh and China, potentially opening new avenues for economic and developmental partnerships in the future.

Comprehensive List of Potential Projects

The list of potential projects spans various sectors, demonstrating the breadth and depth of the Bangladesh-China partnership:

• Southern Integrated Development Initiatives (SIDI)
• Construction of China-Bangladesh Friendship Bridge on Kocha River in Pirojpur District
• Construction of Bhanga-Barishal-Kuakata road
• Establishment of Special Economic Zone
• Renovation of Dhaka Medical College and Hospital
• Construction of Maheshkhali/Matarbari-Bakhrabad 3rd Parallel Gas Transmission Pipeline
• Construction of Sewage Treatment Plant in Mirpur
• Metro Rail Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project Line-2
• Renovation of Bangabandhu International Convention Centre (BICC)
• Construction of High-Tech Bridge on Rural Local Government Roads
• Construction of the Sewage Collection System under Dasherkandi STP Catchment of Dhaka City
• Procurement of 04 New Vessels

These projects cover crucial areas such as infrastructure development, healthcare, urban planning, transportation, and economic growth, showcasing a holistic approach to development cooperation.

Financial Cooperation and Teesta Project Dynamics

Recently, the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, Yao Wen, has hinted at Beijing’s willingness to consider Bangladesh’s proposal for budget support. This support could potentially ease pressure on Bangladesh’s foreign reserves. Bangladesh has sought approximately $5 billion from China in budget support, in addition to loans for various mega projects. The ambassador expressed openness to new proposals from Bangladesh, stating, ‘We are still in discussion. Whatever China can do, we will do as per Bangladesh’s request.’ This potential financial assistance underscores China’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh’s economic growth and stability.

Regarding the Teesta restoration and management project, Ambassador Yao Wen clarified China’s position. He stated that while China is open to working with India on the project, the ultimate decision lies with Bangladesh. The ambassador emphasized , ‘The Teesta River is within the territory of Bangladesh. So, it is your river. Any project regarding the Teesta River is for Bangladesh to decide upon. That decision must be respected by all of us.’

This statement respects Bangladesh’s sovereignty and highlights the diplomatic approach China is taking in regional water management issues. The ambassador also mentioned that China had submitted a proposal for the Teesta project following a request from Bangladesh and is awaiting a response.

However, in 2020, Bangladesh took a significant step towards addressing its water management challenges by initiating a major infrastructure project along the Teesta River. The country’s water resources ministry formally approached the Economic Relations Division with a request for a substantial loan from China, amounting to $983.27 million.

The Teesta River project presents a substantial opportunity for Bangladesh, promising solutions to water management and agricultural challenges through initiatives aimed at stabilizing river flow, mitigating floods, and enhancing irrigation capabilities in the region.

Historical Economic Relations

China is one of Bangladesh’s major trade partners, but Bangladesh has historically faced large trade deficits due to low export volumes. The two countries have agreed to convert the proposed FTA into a CEPA and will start negotiations this year.

The centerpiece of the potential agreements is the Southern Integrated Development Initiatives (SIDI), a comprehensive effort involving multiple sectors such as transport, communications, ICT, ports development, power and energy, and logistics hubs.

The SIDI initiative is the first of its kind among bilateral partners and has significant implications for enhancing commerce, trade, and investment. For more than a decade, China has held its position as one of Bangladesh’s most significant trading partners. The trade relationship between the two nations is substantial, with China exporting $26.8 billion worth of goods to Bangladesh in 2022, while Bangladesh’s exports to China reached $952 million. Key exports from Bangladesh to China, including jute, leather, and garments, play a crucial role in strengthening the economic ties between the two countries.

To modernize their economic relationship, which is currently based on the 1996 Agreement on the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investments, China and Bangladesh signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2016 to explore the feasibility of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). This initiative aims to build upon the existing framework and create new opportunities for growth and collaboration.

 As a demonstration of goodwill and support for Bangladesh’s economic development, China has already offered duty-free access to 97% of Bangladeshi products under the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement ( APTA ), eliminating tariffs on 84 types of commodities. The proposed FTA is expected to further enhance bilateral trade, help reduce the trade deficit, and contribute significantly to the realization of Bangladesh’s ambitious Vision 2041 goals, which aim to transform the country into a developed nation by 2041.

China has expressed support for Bangladesh’s bid to become a partner country of BRICS and hopes for Bangladesh to become a BRICS member soon. China also appreciates Bangladesh’s humanitarian efforts in sheltering Rohingya refugees and is actively working to achieve a ceasefire and dialogue in Myanmar.

The trajectory of Bangladesh and China’s trade relations promises not only economic prosperity but also signifies a paradigm shift towards a more interconnected and interdependent global economy. The foundation laid during this period is poised to catalyze transformative growth, creating opportunities for both nations to navigate the future hand in hand.

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• PM Modi hasn't handled China well: Rahul Gandhi in Washington

PM Modi hasn't handled China well: Rahul Gandhi in Washington

LIVE: Shri Rahul Gandhi interacts with the media at the National Press Club, Washington DC, USA.

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Chinese prime minister arrives in saudi arabia, seeks closer ties.

Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang arrived Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi state media reported, on the first leg of a regional Gulf trip that will also take him to the UAE.

Li "arrived in Riyadh to participate in the fourth meeting of the High-Level Sino-Saudi Joint Committee", the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

After Riyadh, Li will travel to the neighbouring United Arab Emirates, the ministry said, adding that his trip would conclude Friday.

Key US ally Saudi Arabia has in recent years sought to forge closer ties with both Beijing and Moscow .

China accounts for nearly a quarter of crude oil exports from Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter.

The Chinese premier's visit aims to "enhance cooperation and trade exchange" between China and Gulf states, analyst Mohamed bin Saleh al-Harbi told AFP .

Last year, China facilitated a historic rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

China has also positioned itself as a more neutral actor on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict than its rival the United States, advocating a two-state solution while maintaining good ties with Israel.

Beijing has pointed to the Middle East as a key node in its Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, a central pillar of leader Xi Jinping's bid to expand China's clout overseas.

Can China broker a new era of Palestinian political unity?

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BEIJING, Sept. 9 -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is on an official visit to China, in Beijing on Monday.

Noting that next year marks the 20th anniversary of the establishment of China-Spain comprehensive strategic partnership, Li said China is ready to work with Spain to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, build political mutual trust, and jointly build bilateral relations with strategic focus.

The two countries will focus on high-level alignment of development strategies and in-depth integration of growth drivers, and push for more tangible results of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries, Li added.

Li said China is willing to expand two-way opening up with Spain, encourage the development of cross-border e-commerce and convenient logistics, and promote the optimization and development of bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

China will provide more facilitation and support for Spanish and other foreign enterprises to invest in China, and hopes that Spain will provide a fair, safe, non-discriminatory and predictable business environment for Chinese enterprises keen to invest in Spain, Li said.

He added that China is ready to work with Spain to focus on green development and innovation, and strengthen cooperation in new energy, energy conservation, environmental protection, the digital economy and space.

Li said China stands ready to work with Spain to uphold openness and cooperation, safeguard the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, maintain stability and unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, and jointly build an open world economy. It is hoped that Spain will play a constructive role in promoting China-EU cooperation, he said.

Sanchez said that Spain attaches great importance to developing relations with China and looks forward to further enhancing bilateral exchanges at all levels, enriching bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, and strengthening exchanges in culture, education, science and technology to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples.

The EU and China have broad space for cooperation, and Spain supports the EU and China in conducting balanced and mutually beneficial dialogue and cooperation, safeguarding the multilateral trading system and jointly addressing challenges, Sanchez stated.

After the talks, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a number of bilateral cooperation documents in fields such as economy, culture, education, science and technology.

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• Egyptian PM hails 'positive results' of China visit

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly praised the "positive results" of his recent visit to China during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Egyptian cabinet.

"This visit yielded positive results, thanks to the signing of contracts for several projects within the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), as well as memoranda of understanding to enhance cooperation in communications and information technology between Egypt and China," the statement quoted Madbouly as saying.

On behalf of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, Madbouly participated in the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing last week.

The Egyptian prime minister highlighted the important meetings he had with several heads and representatives of major Chinese companies, who expressed interest in investing in Egypt in various fields, including new and renewable energy, the automobile industry, communications, and information technology.

"These contracts and the strong desire of Chinese companies to pump large investments into Egypt reflect the success of the state's approach and government measures towards creating a more attractive climate for foreign direct investment," Madbouly said, according to the statement.

He added that the deals signed in China confirm foreign investors' confidence in Egypt as "a promising market with great investment opportunities."

On the sidelines of the 2024 FOCAC summit, Madbouly witnessed the signing of contracts between the SCZone and several Chinese companies to undertake new projects to manufacture chemical products, food products, and energy components.

He also attended the signing of five memoranda of understanding between the Egyptian side and Chinese companies for cooperation in communications and information technology.

Egypt and China have long-standing cooperative ties that have significantly developed over the past decade, spanning sectors of energy, industry, construction, and transportation.

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Russian President Putin makes first trip since inauguration to critical ally China

Charles Maynes

John Ruwitch

President Putin starts his first foreign trip of this new term: a two-day visit to China to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Here's the significance of this trip and what we can expect from it,

Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Putin warns NATO risks 'war' over Ukraine long-range missiles; Russia expels U.K. diplomats it accuses of spying

President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia would be “at war” with the United States and its allies if they lift restrictions on Ukraine's use of long-range Western weapons .

Putin's vow to follow such a move with “appropriate decisions” was his latest, perhaps most drastic attempt to draw red lines over NATO members' backing for Kyiv , and it came on the eve of a meeting in Washington where the issue is expected to be high on the agenda.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks with President Joe Biden at the White House on Friday afternoon, as London clashed with Moscow over the expulsion of six diplomats accused of spying — accusations the U.K. dismissed as "baseless."

Before beginning the talks, Biden said the U.S. is "committed" to standing with the U.K. to help support Ukraine against Russia.

"I’ve often said there’s no issue of global consequence where the United States and U.K. can’t work together," Biden said. "It’s clear that Putin will not prevail in this war. The people of Ukraine will prevail."

Asked about Putin’s comments on a potential direct war with Russia, Biden told reporters, "I don’t think much about Vladimir Putin."

A White House readout of the meeting said that the two leaders "reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend against Russia’s aggression," and that they shared "deep concern about Iran and North Korea’s provision of lethal weapons to Russia."

The U.S. and its allies have appeared increasingly open to letting Ukraine use long-range Western missiles to strike deep inside Russia, the culmination of a monthslong push by Kyiv that has sparked the Kremlin's fury.

“We are not talking about allowing or not allowing the Ukrainian regime to strike Russia with these weapons,” Putin said Thursday in comments to propagandist Pavel Zarubin. “We are talking about deciding whether NATO countries are directly involved in the military conflict or not.”

"This will mean that NATO countries, the U.S. and European countries are at war with Russia," Putin said. "And if this is so, then, bearing in mind the change in the very essence of this conflict, we will make appropriate decisions based on the threats that will be created for us."

Putin added that the Ukrainian army does not have the ability to program long-range missiles or the satellite data necessary for their targeting, relying on NATO military personnel for those tasks.

Putin’s comments were echoed by the speaker of Russia’s State Duma, Vyacheslav Volodin, in a Telegram post Friday . “NATO became a participant in military operations in Ukraine,” Volodin wrote. “They are waging war on our country.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also told reporters Friday that Putin's message was “extremely clear, unambiguous and does not allow for any double readings.”

“We have no doubt that it has reached its intended recipients,” Peskov noted.

The Kremlin and Russian propaganda have been portraying the war in Ukraine as a clash with the West and NATO since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, and the latest threatening rhetoric from Putin appears to be an escalation of that strategy at a crucial moment.

It was unclear what Moscow's implied response might be, though in June Putin suggested he could provide arms to other countries to hit Western targets .

Putin has repeatedly warned the West not to cross Moscow’s so-called red lines, which he warned could trigger nuclear conflict , but they have been repeatedly crossed without such a response from the Kremlin.

Ukrainian forces launched the first invasion of Russian territory since World War II last month, only to be met with a relatively muted response.

After more than a month, the Kremlin announced Thursday it had begun a major counteroffensive to retake some of the land seized in the Kursk border region , while its forces press on with an offensive in Ukraine's east that threatens the key strategic hub city of Pokrovsk.

As things stand, Kyiv only has permission to use Western-supplied long-range weapons such as American ATACMS and British Storm Shadows to strike Russian territory along its border, and only in response to attacks from these areas.

It’s been pleading for that policy to change so it can strike military assets deeper inside Russia that are used to launch attacks on Ukrainian cities.

But Washington and its allies have been reluctant to allow that, fearing a major escalation.

That appears to have shifted in recent weeks.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Kyiv on Wednesday with his British counterpart, and Biden indicated earlier this week that the U.S. was “working out” the issue.

Members of the bipartisan Congressional Ukraine Caucus signed a letter earlier this week urging Biden to lift restrictions on Kyiv's use of long-range weapons, saying they are “inconsistent” with what America would ever accept for its own operations or restrictions that the U.S. places on its other allies, such as Israel.

Ahead of his meeting with Biden, the British leader's office told NBC News that Starmer told reporters the U.K. does not seek any conflict with Russia. But he noted: “Russia started this conflict. Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. Russia could end this conflict straight away.”

As he arrived in Washington, Russia’s FSB internal security service announced it had revoked the accreditation of six British diplomats in Moscow whose actions it said had signs of “reconnaissance and subversive work.”

Britain dismissed the accusations as “completely baseless.”

Yuliya Talmazan is a reporter for NBC News Digital, based in London.