Dhaka: Chinese Vice President Li Yuanchao has said his country wants to enhance cooperation with Bangladesh in investment, industrial capacity and infrastructure construction and have more communication among political parties, officials and think tanks.  

He said this when Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury met him in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province of China, said a Foreign Ministry media release here on Sunday.

During the meeting, the Speaker stressed the need for strengthening bilateral and trade relations, cultural exchanges and people-to-people contact.

Later, the Speaker had a meeting with Li Jiheng, Party Secretary of Yunnan Provincial Committee and Chairman of Yunnan Provincial People's Congress.

The Speaker thanked the provincial leader for organising the China-South Asia Expo and for the role of Yunnan province in strengthening cooperation between Bangladesh and China.

The Speaker attended the third China-South Asia Expo and 23rd Kunming Import and Export Fair that kicked off in Kunming on 12 June. China Vice President Li Yuanchao inaugurated in the event.  

Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury attended the opening ceremony of Expo as special guest. She led a delegation comprising of the Member of the Parliament Imran Ahmed, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Hedayetullah Al Mamoon, Bangladesh Ambassador to China M. Fazlul Karim, and officials of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Commerce, and Export Promotion Bureau.  

In her speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Exposition, the Speaker thanked the government of China and the provincial government of Yunnan for organizing the Expo and mentioned that the annual event had become an effective tool for stimulating commodity trading, trade in services as well as investment and tourism cooperation, and cultural exchanges between China and South Asian countries.  

Terming China as a great friend and a trade partner of Bangladesh, she mentioned that Bangladesh is poised to make all-out efforts to further cement its ties with China in every possible sphere.  

The objective of the China- South Asia Exposition is to strengthen trade relations between China and South Asian countries and to provide a platform to China and South Asian countries to expand economic and commercial exchanges with other countries and regions.  

Central leaders of China are visiting Kunming in connection with the Expo. All the eight countries of SAARC are participating in the events.  

The President of the Maldives, Prime Minister Laos, and Deputy Prime Minster of Vietnam are leading their respective delegations. A total of 3,179 enterprises from 75 countries are participating in the event.