<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's forthcoming visit to China will be "another historical" one opening up a new chapter in Bangladesh-China relations.</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It will be another historical one. It will be a game-changer. It will open a new chapter," Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen told reporters while responding to a question at a seminar on Sunday night.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ambassador made the remarks when a reporter sought to know about a date of PM's Hasina's proposed visit next month.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"Let's wait and see," the envoy said.                                                                                                                                      </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen is already in Beijing to have bilateral discussions with his Chinese counterpart on Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"He will have a meeting with Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Sun Weidong, which is scheduled to take place on June 3," a senior official told UNB.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Issues of mutual interest, including Hasina's proposed visit, are likely to be discussed.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, an inter-ministerial meeting was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The two sides will discuss finding a convenient date for the PM's visit to China on Monday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> Hasina is likely to pay an official visit to China before July 15.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In May 2023, the Chinese vice minister was in Bangladesh on a two-day official visit to discuss issues of mutual interest.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He had a bilateral meeting with Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen during his stay in Dhaka.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recently, Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen said Bangladesh and China should deepen their strategic partnership for cooperation and explore new growth points.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"China is willing to work with Bangladesh to continue exploring cooperation opportunities under the Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilisation Initiative," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In particular, the ambassador said, they were willing to promote the upgrading of industries and digitalisation process in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ambassador spoke at the seminar titled “China-Bangladesh Free Trade Agreement: A Mutually Beneficial and Win-Win Choice” held at the Embassy of China.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu spoke at the seminar as the chief guest, highlighting various aspects of the bilateral relations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Dr Mohammad Abdur Razzaque, Chairman of RAPID, Al Mamun Mridha, Secretary General of Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI) and Ke Changliang, President of Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB), among others, spoke.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>