BCCCI and CEAB Call for Joint plan of Action in Strengthening Bilateral Trade Relationship and following Signing of a Co-operation Agreement

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

BCCCI and CEAB Call for Joint plan of Action in Strengthening Bilateral Trade Relationship and following Signing of a Co-operation Agreement

Dhaka 27 November 2021 : A BCCCI delegation led by its Honorable President Mr. Gazi Golam Murtoza and Joint Secretary General Mr. Al Mamun Mridha of Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCCI) paid a courtesy call on Mr. Ke Changliang, the Honorary president of Chinese Enterprise Association (CEAB) in Bangladesh on 25 November 2021 at CEAB office to discuss bilateral issues and to explore ways and means to overcome the existing difficulties and bottle-necks in trade and commerce between two countries.

BCCCI President, Gazi Golam Murtoza presenting a flower bouquet to Mr. Ke Changling, President of CEAB

Gazi Golam Murtoza, President of BCCC

The Honorable President of BCCCI mentioned the need of cultural exchanges and ideas of friendship should be included within the discourses related to trade and commerce and free flow of information. He also mentioned that we should have a joint forum together to have a meaningful dialogue where specific ideas and problems could be heard and addressed. He said that BCCCI was already on the move to get the terms of legal regimes and duty protocols favoring the trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

Mr. Ke Changling, President of CEAB

The Honorable President of CEAB provided the attendees of BCCCI with a brief introduction on the CEAB including its election of the seventh council. The BCCCI delegation expressed their all-out cooperation for the common cause of further developing and bonding the trade ties between the two countries to make the potential Joint Actions more effective and productive, saying, ‘A joint effort by the two trade bodies with similar mission, vision, aim and objective would be more effective in identifying the areas of challenges and provide suggestions to address and resolve those outstanding issues with combined stakes and efforts.”

Mr. Al Mamun Mridha, Joint Secretary General of BCCCI

The Honorable Joint Secretary General of BCCCI explained the need of forging greater working relation among BCCCI and CEAB and about the prospects of forming a joint task force to exchange our ideas and difficulties and identifying the actions addressing the increasing trade disputes at both ends (Bangladesh and China), especially at the concerned government functional authorizes seeking easier and quicker resolve of disputes for the businessmen of both the countries.

Wang Xiaojiao, Secretary-General, CEAB

The Honorable Secretary General of CEAB has shared the agenda and future plans for the coming month and underscored the effective outcome of working closely with BCCCI. He acknowledged the existing ties between BCCCI and the national media and remarked that there are many such areas where we should learn from BCCCI.

Ms. Meherun Nessa Islam, Honorable Director of BCCCI proposed for signing a Co-operation Agreement to work more closely in future days.

The BCCCI Delegation while calling on the CEAB officials exchanged their views on present trade issues as, taxation policy, visa processing, letters of credit, and customs clearance, establishment of Chinese banks, dispute resolution, and free trade zones. The meeting underscored the need for making a joint effort to solve all these and give opinions to come up with the remedial suggestion as a positive contribution for further broadening the trade ties between Bangladesh and China.

BCCCI and CEAB have, most importantly, agreed to sign a Co-operation Agreement by as soon as possible to work collaboratively to extend the business opportunities including resolving the issues related to Chinese investment in Bangladesh as well as Bangladesh entrepreneurs doing business in China, and facilitate the bilateral business relations particularly by providing a permanent access for round-the-year exhibition of export products of Bangladesh in any Free Trade Zone in China, and also regarding establishing a Chinese Bank in Bangladesh.

Vice President, BCCCI, Mohammad Ishaqul Hossain Sweet, Vice President, BCCCI, Ms. Meherun Nessa Islam, Director, BCCCI, Nasima Jahan Bijly, Director, BCCCI and Md. Abu Taher, office Secretary, BCCCI were present during the call-on meeting.

Li Jixiang, Deputy President, CEAB, Zhang Wensheng, Deputy President, CEAB, Tang Qun, Director, CEAB, Zeng Qingming, Consultant, CEAB and Zhou Meimei, Secretary, CEAB attended the meeting as well as shared their experiences in investments and opined on the issues which were discussed