Bangladeshi caretaker gov't chief adviser meets with Yang Jiechi

DHAKA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- The Bangladeshi caretaker government Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed met with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi here Thursday.

Ahmed said Bangladesh attaches great importance to its relations with China, treats China as a close friend, and would like to push forward the full cooperative partnership.

He said China has provided a lot of assistance to Bangladesh which has brought great social and economic benefit to the country. "We feel very grateful to that," he said.

Ahmed said Bangladesh hopes to expand trade between the two countries, welcomes more and more Chinese companies to invest in Bangladesh, and also hopes to cooperate with China in many fields, including agriculture and communication.

Ahmed said Bangladesh adheres to the one-China policy and wishes Beijing Olympics a great success.

Yang Jiechi said during the meeting China and Bangladesh are good neighbors, good friends and good partners.

He said the two countries always abide by the five principles of peaceful co-existence, respect each other and treat each other equally.

Yang said since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries 33 years ago, especially after entering the new century, China and Bangladesh have deepened the political mutual trust and expanded the exchanges and cooperation in all areas, maintained close cooperation in regional and international affairs.

"This has brought great benefit to the two peoples, and also made a great contribution to the regional peace and stability," he said.

Yang said the cooperative relations between China and Bangladesh have a great potential for development.

"It is the policy of China to gradually strengthen the relations," he said.

"We would like to work with Bangladesh to push the relations of China and Bangladesh to make new development," he added.

Yang said the two countries should strengthen exchanges at all levels, and maintain the momentum of exchange of visits at top level.

"We should deepen economic and trade relations, increase cooperation in agriculture, education, and youth, and realize mutual benefit and win-win," he said.

"We should strengthen the mutual support in international and regional affairs," he added.

Yang said China very much appreciates the support given by Bangladesh to China on the issues of Tibet and Taiwan.

"We consistently support the efforts of the Bangladeshi government in maintaining social stability and economic development," he said.

The Chinese foreign minister met with Bangladeshi caretaker government Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury on Thursday. They had a deep discussion on the regional and international issues which are concerned by both sides.

They agreed to push hard the neighboring and friendly relations of the two countries.

Iftekhar said Tibet is an inalienable part of China, and the Tibet issue is the internal affair of China.

"Politicizing Olympics is doomed to failure," he said.

The Chinese foreign minister arrived in Dhaka on Thursday on a two-day official visit to Bangladesh. Yang met with Army Chief General Moeen Ahmed on Friday.