DHAKA, June 21, 2018 (BSS) – Bangladesh expects the China-South Asia Cooperation Forum (CSACF) accelerates its cooperation in different arenas, including interconnectivity, business, poverty alleviation and finance in South Asia and China.
“Bangladesh actively participated in the first forum. We think, the forum will further strengthen its role in the existing cooperation between China and the South Asian countries including Bangladesh,” Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) Chairman Professor Dr Abul Hashem told BSS here today.
In the 1st forum held in Kunming of China on June 15, he said, they discussed various issues like capital market and green financing, and took a clear concept for increasing cooperation in the development activities of the South Asian countries.
Nearly a dozen of government officials and private sector experts, including Joint Secretary of the Finance Ministry M Jalal Uddin and Metro Group Director Faiz Hussain, attended the forum formed at Hilton Yuxi Fuxian Lake in Kunming, China for pursuing high-level policy dialogue and cooperation between China and the South Asian nations.
The forum was attended by nearly 400 participants from China and South Asia, including Bangladesh and other countries from South East Asia, like Myanmar and Vietnam.
In the forum, Abul Hashem said, the Bangladesh government emphasized on inclusive financing output in agriculture supporting food security and food price stability, SME financing etc. “Bangladesh capital market has taken policies targeting all level income groups by introducing nationwide financial literacy program under a comprehensive capital market services strategy,” he added.
Talking to BSS, Jalal Uddin said the forum will play an important role to ensure a strategic development in China and the South Asian countries.
“During the forum, we gathered good experience about the development activities of the other countries, especially China, the second largest economy of the world. We also informed the forum about the initiatives of the government to make the country a developed one,” he added.
Metro Group Director Faiz Hussain said the forum will be very effective to increase bilateral and multilateral economic ties. “It will help reduce the trade gap among the counties in the region, including China and Bangladesh,” he added.
In a recent press conference, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Provincial People’s Government Li Jiming said with the joint efforts of the participants, the 1st China-South Asia Cooperation Forum closed with great success.
He said the “grand net-work and friends’ circle” will work together to enhance friendship and mutual trust, cultural exchange and knowledge sharing between China and the South Asian nations.
During the forum, Li Jiming said, important areas for future cooperation have been identified, including interconnectivity, local government, poverty alleviation and people to people exchange.
“The cooperation atmosphere of candid exchange, mutual assistance and shared development has been created,” he added.
He informed that the participants of the forum expressed their desire to strengthen regional cooperation for inclusive development and beautiful world that enjoys lasting peace, universal security and common prosperity. Li said CSACF will be a new regular platform for policy dialogue, economic cooperation, people to people exchanges and knowledge sharing for China and South Asian countries.
He said their first job will be now setting up a secretariat in Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan province.
The forum will be held annually at the lakeside of Fuxian Lake.