Bangladesh and China are looking to strengthen bilateral ties as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina starts her five-day official tour of the Asian powerhouse. Both countries expect to sign a number of agreements during this visit, Sheikh Hasina's first since returning to power for a third term.

After reaching China, the Prime Minister first joined the 'Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2019' of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Dalian International Conference Centre on Tuesday. She is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and President Xi Jinping in Beijing on July 4 and 5 respectively.

At the Summer Davos, Sheikh Hasina put forth a five-point proposal that includes ensuring an environment of peace and fair competition by all countries staying away from rivalries, to make any Indo-Pacific initiative a success.

"Any initiative in Indo-Pacific should include creation of an environment of peace-harmony-stability of all countries; focusing on entire aspects of sustainable development; engaging countries based on mutual trust and mutual respect for mutual benefit; focusing on wealth creation for all, development must be inclusive; and creating fair competition not rivalries," she said.

The Prime Minister said that the key concerns of smaller communities or relatively weaker economies must be addressed for collective journey and sustainable world. She noted that people living around the Bay of Bengal have much potential for development and growth.

"We've to carefully appreciate and balance issues. We cannot trade off long-term interests for short-term gains. A cooperative yet competitive environment among all countries is the insurance of our shared prosperity," she said.

In reply to a question as to how Bangladesh maintains good relations with China and India simultaneously, Sheikh Hasina said the principle of Bangladesh's foreign policy is 'friendship to all, malice to none'.

Responding to another question on whether Bangladesh faces a debt trap by taking a number of mega projects with foreign loans, the Prime Minister pointed out that the country's external debt is around 14.3 percent of GDP. "Clearly it's a sign of a healthy economy," she said.

China is involved in a number of big infrastructure projects in Bangladesh. Chinese companies are constructing Bangladesh's largest bridge till date.

She said there was no reason to worry about 'debt trap' as long as these mega projects are in Bangladesh's interest, have the right pay-off and are negotiated rightly.

The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh is ready to join Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership as it is always interested to join any connectivity and regional cooperation.

More than 1,800 leaders, including heads of state and government, business, civil society, academia and the arts, from across the world gathered in Dalian, known as the Hong Kong of Northern China.

The meeting will spur leaders to find new strategic models to adapt to the world's environmental challenges, regional competition, economic disparities and technological disruption.

Sheikh Hasina will have talks with WEF Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab at the latter's office in the Dalian International Conference Centre. The aim of the meeting is to find new strategic models to adapt to the world's environmental challenges, regional competition, economic disparities and technological disruption.

The WEF, based in Geneva of Switzerland, was founded in 1971 as a non-profit organisation. Its mission is to improve the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic, and other leaders to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

Meeting with Chinese PM, President

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to leave Dalian for Beijing on July 3. The next day, she is scheduled to join a welcome ceremony and place wreaths at the Heroes Memorial at the Great Hall of the People in the morning before holding bilateral talks with Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang and attend the agreement signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People.

Sheikh Hasina will join a banquet to be hosted by the Chinese Prime Minister at the Great Hall of the People. She will attend a business roundtable with Chinese business leaders at CCPIT in the afternoon the same day.

On July 5, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to deliver a speech at an event to be organised by a Chinese think tank, 'Pangoal Institution', in the morning. Later, CEOs of Chinese companies are expected to meet the Prime Minister at her place of residence. She will also hold a meeting with Chairman of NPC Li Zhangshu.

Sheikh Hasina will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at Diaoyutai State Guest House in the afternoon and join a banquet to be hosted by the Chinese President in the evening at the same place.

'Rohingya issue to feature in talks'

Before the Prime Minister's China visit, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen told reporters in Dhaka that the Rohingya issue will get much importance in her meetings with Chinese leaders.

He said Bangladesh does not believe that China is backing Myanmar over the Rohingya Issue. "China has a stance that they are helping us and supporting us to resolve the problem," he said. "They've repeatedly told us that they want Rohingyas to go back to their country."

He said China wants the problem to be solved through bilateral discussion, and added that Beijing repeatedly assured it will help Bangladesh repatriate Rohingyas to Myanmar.

Bangladesh is currently providing accommodation and food to more than 1.2 million Rohingyas most of whom fled their homeland in Myanmar's Rakhine State after the government launched a brutal offensive targeting the mainly-Muslim ethnic minority.

State-sponsored discrimination against Rohingyas stretches back decades in Myanmar which refuses to acknowledge them as citizens despite having lived there for generations and dubs them 'Bangalis' to imply that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

During China visit, Foreign Minister Momen said they will tell the country's leaders that Rohingyas are the citizens of Myanmar and Bangladesh gave them shelter for a short period.

He said they will also voice concern that the presence of a large number of Rohingyas in Bangladesh for a long period of time can create uncertainty in the region. This may also harm the development of the entire region.

He noted that China has made huge investments in both Bangladesh and Myanmar, and their expectations from the investment may get hampered if the Rohingya problem is not solved. "Also, pockets of radicalism may be created if the problem lingers. So, we'll make strong demand of taking back Rohingyas by Myanmar," the minister said.

"We hope China will take proactive action in ensuring the return of Rohingyas if our Prime Minister raises the issue during the visit. We believe it will be possible to do so," he said.

Being heard in Beijing

The salient points of the visit are largely in line with what came up at the last Cosmos Dialogue, titled "China's Role in the Contemporary World", that took place at Cosmos Centre in the last week of June. Dr Ruan Zongze, a leading Chinese scholar, delivered a keynote address highlighting the global challenges and opportunities ahead keeping people's welfare in mind.

Principal Research Fellow of the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore, former adviser, and President of Cosmos Foundation Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury chaired the event. Cosmos Group Chairman Amanullah Khan delivered the welcome address at the programme hosted by Cosmos Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bangladeshi conglomerate Cosmos Group.

Former secretary Enam Ahmed Chowdhury, former foreign secretaries Shamsher Mobin Chowdhury and Md Touhid Hossain, among others, spoke at the event. Diplomats, university teachers and senior journalists were present and enriched a lively plenary round with their contributions.

Dr Zongze, Executive Vice President of the China Institute of International Studies and a contributor to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on policy issues, said China and Bangladesh should do two things together -- reinforcing their relationship and collaborating more on key issues. He said there is no lack of political commitment from either side.

Dr Zongze said Bangladesh's vision for future is very ambitious and very useful to understand what Bangladesh is going to be. "It needs international collaboration (to achieve its development goals)."

He said Bangladesh is now in the right direction and it deserves a better future; and laid emphasis on more grassroots-level engagements between the two countries.

Responding to a question on Rohingya issue, he said it is not true that China is not taking a balanced approach to the issue.

"It's essentially a problem between Bangladesh and Myanmar. It's a bilateral issue. Bangladesh and Myanmar need to work it out," said the Chinese scholar, adding that he does not think China is more pro-Myanmar or more pro-Bangladesh.

Beyond the Rohingya

The foreign minister also revealed that the PM's visit will see eight instruments-five agreements, and three memoranda of understanding (MoUs)-inked between Bangladesh and China:

1) Framework Agreement of "Expansion and Strengthening of Power System Network under DPDC Area"

2) Government Concessional Loan Agreement of "Expansion Strengthening of Power System Network under DPDC Area Project"

3) Preferential Buyer's Credit Loan Agreement of "Expansion and Strengthening of Power System Network under DPDC Area Project"

4) Framework Agreement of "Power Grid Network Strengthening Project under PGCB" Project

5) Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation between the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, and the Government of the People's Republic of China

6) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Establishment of Investment Cooperation Working Group

7) MoU and its Implementation Plan on hydrological information sharing of Yalu Zhangbo / Brahmaputra River

8) MoU on Cultural Exchange, and Tourism Programs.