<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today (July 10, 2024) said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ongoing official China visit has not been shortened, but she is returning home tonight to give time to her daughter Saima Wazed who is unwell.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“There has been no change in her official engagements. She was supposed to stay in Beijing tonight. But she is returning to spend time with her daughter,” he told reporters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Foreign Minister said that Saima Wazed, who is the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for South-East Asia, was supposed to be part of the visit but she could not as she fell sick on July 8 morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Saima Wazed is still unwell, said Hasan.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Read more: Dhaka, Beijing sign 21 cooperation documents to strengthen ties on diverse fronts</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Bangladesh and China today signed 21 cooperation documents, mostly MoUs, eyeing stronger development and economic cooperation between the two Asian countries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The two countries also announced seven outcomes, including the conclusion of a joint feasibility study on Bangladesh-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA).</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Hasina will leave Beijing for Dhaka tonight, wrapping up her bilateral visit to China.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A special flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage will depart Beijing Capital International Airport at 10 pm (local time) tonight and is scheduled to land at 1 am (Bangladesh time).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier was earlier scheduled to leave Beijing for Dhaka on Thursday morning.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During her stay in Beijing from July 8 to 10, the Bangladesh Prime Minister had a delegation level bilateral meeting with her Chinese counterpart Li Qiang today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Prime Minister Hasina held a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping today.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>