Dhaka: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had an hour-long stopover at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport here early Saturday on his way to Africa.

Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque welcomed the Chinese Foreign Minister at the airport after his arrival around 1 am, airport sources said.

‘Yes, the Minister had a stopover for technical reason,’ a diplomat told UNB over phone without elaborating further.

The aircraft carrying the Chinese Foreign Minister landed here for refuelling, according to the airport sources.

Wang is on his way of an official visit to Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Republic of Congo and Nigeria from Jan 7 to 12, Chinese media quoted its Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang as saying.

At the invitation of President Abdul Hamid, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Bangladesh on 14-15 October last year.

The visit has taken the traditional friendship between China and Bangladesh to a new era, and it bears a significant historical importance to the bilateral relationship, Foreign Ministry officials said.

Bangladesh and China have dedicated 2017 as the ‘Year of Friendship and Exchanges’ between the two countries as they are now heading towards a ‘promising future’.

During his stay in Dhaka, Chinese President Xi Jinping said many colourful events will be held in the year to carry forward to friendship between Bangladesh and China.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and carry forward the traditional friendship between the two countries.

Bangladesh and China, after official talks between Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year, signed over two dozens of MoUs and agreements in Dhaka.

Of the signed documents, 15 were government-to-government MoUs and deals, while 12 loans and mutual deals.

The two countries signed documents of cooperation in areas such as: cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative, industrial capacity building, power and energy, information and communication technology, investment, maritime cooperation, disaster management and cultural and people-to-people contacts.

The two sides agreed to maintain military cooperation and exchanges at various levels and deepen cooperation in areas such as personnel training, equipment and technology and UN peacekeeping missions.