Chinese President Xi Jinping said he was ready to work with Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid to take the Bangladesh-China strategic partnership to new heights, further consolidate the two countries' strategies and jointly move forward with the construction of the Belt and Road project. Xi made the remarks in a congratulatory message sent to Abdul Hamid on Sunday on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.In his message, Xi Jinping said China-Bangladesh friendship has a long history and has become stronger over time. He said the two countries have always respected each other, enhanced mutual political trust and strengthened mutual cooperation, which has brought obvious benefits to both countries. He added that after the outbreak of Kovid-19, both China and Bangladesh faced various crises but helped each other in the fight against the epidemic and a new chapter of bilateral friendship was written.

In his reciprocal message, President Abdul Hamid said that the relations between Bangladesh and China were developing rapidly and cooperation was continuing in various important areas, to which Bangladesh attached great importance. He hoped that the close and friendly relations between the two countries would deepen in the future. On the same day, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also exchanged congratulatory messages with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In his message, Li said China is keen to deepen cooperation with Bangladesh in various fields and for the betterment of the two countries and their peoples for the stable and sustainable development of the Sino-Bangladesh strategic partnership. On the other hand, Sheikh Hasina said the strategic partnership of cooperation between Bangladesh and China is developing from the time-tested friendship and cooperation between the two countries. The Prime Minister mentioned China's continued support for the socio-economic development of Bangladesh and the increase in Chinese investment in infrastructural development. He also praised China for working with Bangladesh to address the crisis of the homeless Rohingya people in Myanmar.

Meanwhile, the Chinese embassy in Dhaka said yesterday that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had also sent a congratulatory message to Chinese President Xi Jinping. In the message, the Prime Minister conveyed her best wishes to the Chinese President and people. In that message, Sheikh Hasina recalled Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's visit to China in 1952 and 1956 and the two books 'Unfinished Autobiography' and 'New China as I Saw'. He hoped that the existing relations between the two countries would deepen in the coming days.