MM Rahmatullah: Bangladesh and China are looking to further strengthen their longstanding friendship and expand cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, technology and people-to-people exchanges, Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives Minister Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan said.He made the remarks on Wednesday evening at a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.Held at the Grand Ballroom of Hotel Sheraton Dhaka, the reception was attended by ministers, political leaders, senior government officials, diplomats, business leaders, civil society representatives and journalists.Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen hosted the reception.Congratulating the Chinese government and people on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Dr Moyeen said Bangladesh-China relations had developed significantly over the years and offered scope for much broader cooperation.“Our ties span trade, development, infrastructure, energy and industry, and, last but not the least, people-to-people contact,” he said.The minister said Bangladesh wanted to see the relationship enter a new phase, with cooperation extending beyond trade and commerce to friendship, culture and greater interaction between the peoples of the two countries.“Bangladesh looks forward to the next decade of further expansion of our cooperation—not only in the area of trade and commerce, but also in the area of friendship and culture,” he said.Dr Moyeen stressed that bilateral cooperation should create benefits and opportunities for ordinary people, including small traders and entrepreneurs.“Small traders can be the best ambassadors between two countries,” he said.He also highlighted the importance of exchanges among students, businesspeople, journalists and professionals, saying stronger people-to-people contacts could contribute to closer relations between Bangladesh and China.“People-to-people contact, exchanges of students as well as businesspeople can change the pace of our countries,” he said.Referring to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s recent visit to China, Dr Moyeen described the high-level engagement as an important development in bilateral relations. He said discussions during the visit had created opportunities for expanding cooperation in different areas.Bangladesh, he said, wanted to elevate its partnership with China and build a shared future for the younger generations of the two countries.The minister praised China’s development achievements during the 77 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, describing the country’s transformation as one of the striking examples of development in modern history.He said Bangladesh and China might have differences in political philosophies, but both countries share the objective of improving the lives of ordinary and less-privileged people.Bangladesh remains interested in learning from China’s experiences in infrastructure development, technology, innovation and urbanisation, he said.“At the same time, we believe that government-to-government cooperation must provide opportunities and create opportunities for more and more people,” Dr Moyeen added.He particularly underscored the importance of educational, professional and commercial exchanges between the two countries.The 77th anniversary reception also brought together Bangladesh’s political and diplomatic communities to celebrate China’s National Day.Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Dr Shafiqur Rahman attended the reception and conveyed greetings and congratulations to Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Chinese government and the people of China on the occasion.He also handed Ambassador Yao Wen a letter addressed to President Xi Jinping, conveying greetings on China’s National Day and expressing hope for stronger Bangladesh-China friendship and cooperation.The gathering provided an opportunity for Bangladeshi and foreign diplomats, political leaders, government officials and business representatives to exchange greetings and views on the longstanding relations between Dhaka and Beijing.Bangladesh and China have maintained diplomatic relations for decades, with China becoming an important partner in Bangladesh’s economic and development journey.Over the years, bilateral cooperation has expanded beyond traditional areas to include infrastructure, trade and investment, energy, technology, education, healthcare and cultural exchanges.At Wednesday’s reception, the emphasis on people-to-people connectivity reflected growing interest in strengthening links between the two societies alongside government-to-government and business-to-business cooperation.Dr Moyeen also expressed appreciation for Ambassador Yao Wen’s contribution to strengthening Bangladesh-China friendship and cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, energy, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges.“I would like to recognise the Ambassador personally for his tireless work in advancing the friendship between the two countries,” he said.As China celebrated the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the reception in Dhaka served not only as a celebration of the country’s National Day but also as a platform to reaffirm the longstanding friendship between Bangladesh and China and highlight opportunities for closer cooperation in the years ahead. Dr Moyeen wished the Chinese government and people continued peace, prosperity and progress on the 77th anniversary.