Bangladesh’s foreign policy mantra, of “friendship to all and malice towards none” has been at the forefront of its diplomacy, and it is good to see it continue to pay dividends.
To that end, we greatly appreciate Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen as he expresses that Chinese enterprises in Bangladesh will take more responsibilities of promoting sustainable development and deepening the friendship between the two countries.
Indeed, with initiatives such as the China-Bangladesh Ambassador Friendship Award and opportunities to go to the country for training and participating in higher education, it is clear that China’s words are translating into action.
At this juncture, there is no questioning the importance of China to Bangladesh; from being by far Bangladesh’s biggest trade partner to China funding numerous megaprojects, China and Bangladesh have only gone from strength to strength when it comes to their relationship.
And it is only fair to say that this relationship can only become stronger. With Bangladesh attempting to change its business climate and attract more foreign direct investment, now is the time for Chinese businesses to explore more potential investment opportunities.
For Bangladesh, however, it is imperative that it continue to improve the ease of doing business in the country, and ensure that foreign investors are not bogged down by bottlenecks when they attempt to invest.
Fostering stronger ties with not just China, but every nation on the planet should continue to be Bangladesh’s strategy. With it set to graduate from a least developed country very soon, diplomacy will only become more and more important as a tool for it to continue its progress as an economy.
This article was first published on Dhaka Tribune.