Chinese governor arrives on Sunday

Anis Alamgir
Governor of south-western Chinese province Yunnan Qin Guangrong will arrive in Dhaka on Sunday for a two-day visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Since Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China in March this year, Yunnan governor will be the second high-ranking leader to visit Bangladesh. Earlier, Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping visited Bangladesh in June.
Yunnan is the Chinese province nearest to Bangladesh and it can connect the two countries through trans-border road and railway routes running through Myanmar.
During Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Beijing and Kunming, she had emphasised the role of the Yunnan government, saying, “Yunnan province authorities also have a significant role to set up direct link with Bangladesh.” She invited Governor Qin at that very time to expedite the process of connecting the two countries.
The Yunnan governor is the second highest ranking political position in Yunnan after the chief secretary of the Communist Party of China in Yunnan. He is responsible for all matters concerning economics, politics, personnel, and environment and foreign affairs in the province.
As per his itinerary, Qin Guangrong will arrive at 9 am at the Hajrat Shahjalal International Airport. From there he will go to prime minister’s office to pay a visit to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Thereafter, the Chinese leader will go to Sonargaon Hotel for a break, where he will stay during his visit. In the afternoon, the governor will meet Communication Minister Sayed Abul Hossain and Civil Aviation Minister Ghulam Muhammad Quader, separately. Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni will host a dinner in his honour at her official residence.
The next morning, the governor will visit the Confucius Institute of the North South University. Before leaving Dhaka in the afternoon, he will attend a launch host by the Chinese ambassador in Dhaka.
Five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the fields of agriculture, energy, education, tourism and establishing comprehensive people-to-people contact with Yunnan and Chittagong region are expected to be signed during his visit.
Sources said regional connectivity through rail, road and air will be discussed during his visit. To establish friendship between Kunming and Chittagong regions, the government is going to sign a unique MoU, the first its kind with any country. The draft of the MoU states that both Yunnan and Chittagong would help with each other for development in the areas of trade, economy, culture, sports and tourism.
Bangladesh’s proposal for setting up 1,700-km Chittagong-Kunming trans-border road and railway routes, which will also run through Myanmar, will also be one of the main agendas during Qin Guangrong’s talks with the prime minister and other officials here.

published on 27-8-10