Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arrived in China's capital Beijing on a four-day state visit.
A special Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-1701) landed at Beijing Capital International Airport on Monday (July 8)at 4 PM carrying the Prime Minister and her entourage.
Earlier, the flight left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at 11:05 am Bangladesh time.
The Prime Minister's visit is expected to elevate the relationship between the two countries from a 'strategic partnership' to a 'strategic comprehensive cooperative partnership'.
During her stay in Beijing on July 8-11, the Prime Minister will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on July 10 and a delegation-level meeting with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's four-day bilateral visit to Beijing beginning on Tuesday (July 9) is likely to see 20 to 22 MoUs signed between Bangladesh and China.
Foreign Minister Dr. Hassan Mahmud said, during this visit, cooperation in economic and banking sectors, trade and investment, digital economy, infrastructure development, assistance in disaster management, construction of 6th and 9th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, export of agricultural products from Bangladesh and communication between the people of the two countries likely to be signed.
Dr. Hassan said that the inauguration of several projects of the two countries will also be announced during the visit.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Bangladesh in October 2016. At that time both the countries reached a strategic partnership. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last visited Beijing in July 2019. She visited China several times before.
The two countries will celebrate the golden jubilee of first diplomatic relations next year.
The Bangladesh Prime Minister's visit to China comes within 15 days of her last visit to India on June 21-22.
On the second day of Sheikh Hasina's visit to China, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Jean Likun will pay a courtesy call on the Bangladesh Prime Minister's residence in the meeting room on July 9.
The Prime Minister will then attend a summit on trade, business and investment opportunities between Bangladesh and China at China's World Summit Wing at Shangri-La Circle in Beijing, China.
In the afternoon of the same day, a meeting between the Prime Minister and the Consultative Party President is scheduled to take place at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The Prime Minister will later lay a wreath at the People's Heroes Monument in Tiananmen Square.
In the evening, she will attend a dinner hosted by the Bangladesh Ambassador to China in honor of the Prime Minister at Bangladesh House in Beijing. On July 10, a representative-level bilateral meeting will be held at the Great Hall of the People under the leadership of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh and the Premier of the State Council of China, Li Qiang.
During this time several documents including Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will be signed in their presence. She will later attend a luncheon hosted by the Premier of the State Council of China at the same venue.
In the afternoon, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
After the visit to China, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh will leave for the country on a special flight (BG1704) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines from Beijing Capital International Airport on July 11 at 11 am Beijing time.
The flight is scheduled to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on the same day at 2 PM Bangladesh time.