Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Yunus meets Chinese President Xi Jinping

“Russia would like to export more wheat and fertilizer to Bangladesh,” Overchuk said.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus on Friday, official media reported.

Yunus, on a four-day visit to China, took part in the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan after arriving on Wednesday. He reached Beijing on Thursday and was received at the airport by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Gearing up for his meeting with Xi, Yunus called on China to reduce interest rates for Chinese loans and waive commitment fees on Chinese-funded projects. In his meeting with Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on the sidelines of the Boao Forum, Yunus sought Chinese support for an array of development projects, Bangladesh media reports said.

He also urged China to lower interest rates on loans to Bangladesh from 3% to 1-2% and requested a waiver of commitment fees on Chinese-funded projects. China is Bangladesh’s fourth-largest lender after Japan, the World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank, with total loans disbursed since 1975 amounting to $7.5 billion, according to a report in the Daily Star newspaper of Bangladesh.

During his meeting with Ding, Yunus sought Beijing’s help in facilitating the relocation of Chinese manufacturing industries, including ready-made garments, electric vehicles, light machinery, high-tech electronics, chip manufacturing, and the solar panel industry.

On the sidelines of the forum, Yunus also met Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, who expressed Moscow’s interest in exporting more wheat and fertilizer to Bangladesh.

“Russia would like to export more wheat and fertilizer to Bangladesh,” Overchuk said.

The two leaders also discussed the operationalization of the Russia-funded Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

Additionally, Yunus met former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who is the Chairman of the Boao Forum, and sought support and advice for a smooth transition to democracy in Bangladesh.

“We want to start anew; we need your support and advice. We are having a great opportunity now,” Yunus was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.

Xi also reaffirmed China’s commitment to encouraging Chinese investment in Bangladesh and facilitating the relocation of Chinese manufacturing enterprises, Yunus' Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said in a Facebook post describing the talks as "comprehensive, fruitful, and constructive".

"President Xi reiterated China’s support to the Chief Adviser and the Interim Government. It was Professor Yunus’ first bilateral foreign tour, and so far, it has been a grand success," Alam said.

China is also considering enhanced cooperation in water resource management, a key issue raised by Bangladesh during the talks, he added.

Bangladesh has secured a commitment of $2.1 billion in Chinese investments, loans and grants, Yunus' press wing said.

(With inputs from agencies)