DHAKA, 26 April 2008 — China will help Bangladesh build a nuclear power plant, the foreign adviser to the interim government, Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, said here yesterday.
He said the two countries would work together to develop nuclear energy in Bangladesh on the China-Pakistan model as Beijing wanted to get involved in the Rooppur nuclear power plant.
The two governments signed a letter of exchange to construct an exhibition center in Bangladesh, Chowdhury said, and added that visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi offered Dhaka 60 million yuan ($8.6 million) as grant for this year.
China has shown a keen interest in the development of Bangladesh and wanted to get involved in larger projects such as the Rooppur nuclear power plant, Chowdhury told reporters at Zia International Airport while seeing off his Chinese counterpart. Yang left Dhaka yesterday after a two-day visit for Pakistan.
Chowdhury said Bangladesh and China were partners in the new Asian age and Yang’s visit would cement this relationship. “Our friendship is rooted in history, but like all friendly relationships between nations have also to be renewed and reinvigorated from time to time, and this visit was an occasion to do just that,” the official stated.
Replying to a question, he said: “We’ve told him of our One-China policy. We’ve said matters pertaining to Tibet are internal affairs of China... and have agreed that the forthcoming Olympics in Beijing will be an occasion of pride for all Asians and (it) must not be politicized.” He said the two sides also discussed regional and international issues.
