Chinese Ambassador in Dhaka Li Jiming does not see any reason for the Bangladeshi businesses to switch to other countries for sourcing their products due to coronavirus concern. “I strongly recommend that Bangladesh businesses should not reconsider their supply chain to switch over to any other countries from China,” the ambassador said, replying to questions of diplomatic correspondents in Dhaka on Monday.
He showed three reasons for Bangladesh not to switch to other countries from China for sourcing products. “The first is it [switching to other countries] is impossible... The second is it will be costly and the third is it is unnecessary considering the situation on the ground,” Li Jiming said.
His remarks came amid growing concern among Bangladeshi businesses over coronavirus, which has already claimed more than 1,700 lives. The two-way trade between the two countries is over $12 billion, majority of which consists of Bangladesh’s imports.
The ambassador acknowledged the impact of coronavirus on businesses, and said things are changing rapidly and people are getting back to their work. He said there is no reason to slowdown trade and commerce since the virus cannot be transported through goods or materials.
The Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) organised the event at Jatiya Press Club under its flagship ‘DCAB Talk’. DCAB President Angur Nahar Monty and General Secretary Touhidur Rahman also spoke at the event. The ambassador briefed details of the coronavirus outbreak and ongoing response of Beijing. He also talked on the bilateral relations with Bangladesh.
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“Since the outbreak of the disease, the Chinese government has taken a series of decisive and rigorous prevention and control measures,” he said. “The speed, intensity, and coverage of China's response have been unprecedented in the world.”
He said China is addressing the epidemic in a “highly committed, efficient, transparent and responsible” way.
“China attaches great importance to containing the potential spread of the virus to other countries and regions,” he said. “It has strengthened management and control on overseas traveling of Chinese citizens, and called on the Chinese people to take up their social responsibilities to help prevent further spread of the disease.”
He thanked the Bangladesh government, particularly Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for her support. Bangladesh is sending medical accessories, including masks, gowns, caps, and gloves, to China. The prime minister also wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping.
“We highly appreciate that,” he said, adding that China is ‘fully confident’ in overcoming the epidemic. “With the advantages of China's system and its previous beneficial experience, the strong scientific and technological material foundation accumulated in the past 70 years, the Chinese government has the determination, confidence, and ability to win the fight,” he said.
“And at the same time, China will achieve goals of economic and social development. China will attain greater prosperity after overcoming the epidemic. We have every confidence, capacity and determination to win a full victory against the epidemic.”
One may ask, why China is so committed, efficient and transparent and how can China do this, he asked, and replied “My answer is that China's state and governance systems enjoy notable strengths.” The Ambassador said China-Bangladesh relationship is now “at its best in history”.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Bangladesh. Over the past 45 years, he said, based on the principles of mutual respect and benefit, the China-Bangladesh relationship has withstood the test of time and changes of the international situation and maintains the momentum of robust growth.
“We developed closer high-level exchanges, growing interactions at all levels and in broad areas, and expanding consensus on good-neighbourliness, mutual respect, and mutual trust. Practical cooperation has advanced on all fronts with fruitful results,” he said.
“The cultural and people-to-people exchange has flourished. All of these brought tangible benefits to the people of China and Bangladesh and made a great contribution to the peace, stability, and development of Asia,” he said. “Looking forward into the year of 2020, the Chinese side is ready to join hands with the Bangladesh government and people, taking the 45th anniversary as a great opportunity, to enhance the synergy between our development strategies, jointly promote Belt and Road Initiative, increase mutual understanding and learning of our respective governance, build an even stronger China-Bangladesh community with a shared future and embark on a new journey and take China-Bangladesh strategic cooperative partnership to the new heights.”
He also appreciated the role of Bangladesh media during the coronavirus time and said in this special time, when some western media “posted false, fabricated and even insulting reports on China, I see most of Bangladeshi media maintain a fair and objective attitude.”
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