On May 27th, 2015, the Kunming-Dhaka cargo flight operated by Zhejiang Loong Airlines became the first regular international all-cargo flight in Yunnan province. The air route has provided rapid two-way transit of goods between Bangladesh and Yunnan and promoted business and trade exchanges between the two sides.

Bangladesh and Yunnan have made remarkable progress in the connectivity of transport facilities in recent years. In addition to the cargo flights, Yunnan has opened a number of passenger flights directly connecting Kunming and Dhaka, shortening the flight duration to two hours. The connectivity of transport facilities has vigorously promoted the mutual flows of people, logistics and capital. In 2018, according to Kunming Customs, the imports and exports between the two sides amounted to 1.034 billion yuan (US$147.323 million yuan), a year-on-year increase of 172.5 percent.

In 2015, with the increasing business connections between the two sides, Yunnan established a business representative office in Bangladesh to better serve investors in both countries. Since its inception, the business representative office has acted as a matchmaker for the cooperation between Bangladeshi and Yunnan companies. It has caused to implement a number of Yunnan-invested projects in Bangladesh through investment and trade promotions

and field investigations. In May 2017, thanks to the coordination by the business representative office, Kunming Iron and Steel Group paid a visit to Bangladesh, and now the group has signed a cooperative contract with its partner from Bangladesh.

The scope of economic and trade cooperation between Yunnan and Bangladesh is expanding as well. On November 6th of this year, while attending the 8th China-South International Cultural Forum in Kunming, the Mayor of Ghazipur Zahangir Alam said that Ghazipur has established a cooperative relationship with Shining Star Group, a Kunming-based company. The two sides agreed to establish an experimental zone and a special economic zone for cooperation in manufacturing, medicine, textiles and electronic devices.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2019

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Bangladesh participated in the 1st China-South Asia Expo as the theme country. (Yunnan Daily)

Photo by Lei Tongsu

An art troupe from Yunnan perfoms in Bangladesh in this January. (Liu Ziyu)

EXPO

Both China and Bangladesh are developing countries with a huge population. Our national conditions have a lot in common and our development goals are well-aligned. The “Sonar Bangla” dream of national strength and

prosperity is in perfect harmony with the Chinese dream of great national renewal. The Belt and Road Initiative put forward by China heralds new opportunities for win-win cooperation between our two countries.

——From Chinese President Xi Jinping's signed article carried by The Daily Star and Prothom Aloon on the occasion of his state visit to Bangladesh in October, 2016.

Yunnan Province and Bangladesh:Building a bridge of win-win cooperation

Yunnan is the nearest t o B a n g l a d e s h a m o n g Chinese provinces, and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor has closely linked the province to Bangladesh. Since 2016, the strategic partnership o f cooperat ion be tween China and Bangladesh has shown a strong momentum of development. In recent years, as a frontier province in China's opening up to South and Southeast Asia, Yunnan has accelerated cooperation with Bangladesh in economy, trade, culture, education and tourism. The friendly relations between the two sides are stronger than ever.

O n A u g u s t 2 7 t h , t h e 2 0 1 9 Bangladesh-China Youth Camp opened at Yunnan University. In nearly two weeks, 150 young people from Bangladesh learned the Chinese language, attended special lectures, paid field visits and participated in other cultural activities. They not only learned more about Yunnan but also had an unforgettable experience of a lifetime

To s t r eng then cu l t u r a l and educational exchanges between the two countries, the Chinese government has been inviting 150 Bangladeshi youths to visit China on a yearly basis since 2017. Yunnan University has hosted the programme for three consecutive years.

Cultural exchanges have always played a positive role in promoting mutual understanding between the Chinese and Bangladesh peoples. Yunnan has sent a number of art groups to various cultural events in Bangladesh. They have shared the same stages with Bangladeshi artists and introduced Yunnan's unique ethnic culture to the Bangladesh audience. Meanwhile, Yunnan people have also learned the Bangladeshi culture and art through the China-South Asia Expo and other platforms. At the 5th China-South Asia Expo in 2018, for example, the folk paintings by a female Bangladeshi

Some milestones in Yunnan-Bangla-desh cooperation and exchanges

"I still remember how the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) became a hot word at the China-South Asia Expo opening ceremony. The China-South Asia Expo means tremendous opportunities and potentials for international cooperation in the

BRI-related economic corridors," said a Bangladeshi journalist when receiving an interview early this year. He attended the 2016 China-South Asia Expo in Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province and joined in extensive and in-depth discussions on

Bilateral, multilateral platforms promoting cooperationcooperation in economy, trade and tourism between Yunnan and South and Southeast Asia.

In recent years, Yunnan has actively integrated into the BRI with its advantage of being close to South and Southeast Asia. In particular, through various bilateral and multilateral platforms, it has deepened exchanges and cooperation with Bangladesh and stepped up the efforts to build itself into a pivot of China's opening up to Southeast and Southeast Asia. Today, Yunnan and Bangladesh have carried out in-depth, multi-faceted and fruitful cooperation in economy, trade, tourism, education, culture, media, think tanks and other fields through such platforms as China-South Asia Expo, South and Southeast Asia Commodity Expo and Investment Fair, China-South Asia Business F o r u m , Yu n n a n - B a n g l a d e s h

Cooperat ion Dialogue, China-South Asia Media Forum, China-South and Southeast Asia Education Cooperation Forum, China-South and Southeast Asia Think Tank Forum, Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Regional Cooperation Forum and China International Travel Mart.

These multilateral and bilateral platforms has promoted the win-win cooperation between the two countries. In June 2014, Bangladeshi Pr ime Minis ter Sheikh Hasina attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2nd China-South Asia Expo. She said that the China-South Asia Expo had lifted the friendly relations between China and Bangladesh to a new height and catalyse the exchanges between China and South Asian countries in trade, investment, tourism and cultural enterprise.

Connectivity brings unimpeded trade Cultural exchanges enhance people-to-people bonds

artist were hailed by Kunming citizens. Education is a key area of cultural

exchanges between the two countries. As early as in 2006, Yunnan University collaborated with the North and South University of Bangladesh in establishing the Confucius Institute, laying a solid foundation for educational cooperation and exchanges. Today, Yunnan and Bangladesh are furthering their educational cooperation. Also, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Yunnan Normal University, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming

Medical University, Yunnan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other universities in the province have established cooperative relations with higher learning institutions in Bangladesh, bringing the cooperation in language education, academic exchanges, personnel training and other areas to a new height. So far, the statistics of the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Kunming show that more than 1,000 Bangladeshi students have studied at various universities in Yunnan.

Yunnan promotion serves as bridge for businesses on CIIED u r i n g t h e s e c o n d C h i n a

International Import Expo (CIIE), Yunnan province held the key-industry investment cooperation and global procurement promotion at the National Convention and Exhibition Center in Shanghai on November 6.

Ruan Chengfa , Governor of Yunnan, introduced in his speech at the promotion that Yunnan is known as hometown of poetry's distant dream. It is not only a place that people come and want to stay but also a place full of investment opportunities.

“Yunnan i s c rea t ing a more e f f i c i e n t g o v e r n m e n t s e r v i c e environment, a more considerate bus ines s s e rv i ce env i ronmen t a n d a m o r e a c c u r a t e m a r k e t service environment by constantly

D u r i n g t h e Y u n n a n p ro m o t i o n , a n u m b e r o f enterprises signed 20 investment and financial cooperation projects and import purchase agreements wi th Yunnan, including 10 import purchase projects. The main imported p ro d u c t s a re c h e m i c a l , agr icu l tura l , mechanica l and electrical products. 10 investment promotion and financing support projects, covering green food, great hea l th , tour i sm, cu l ture , manufacturing and other fields.

i m p r o v i n g a m a r k e t - o r i e n t e d a n d l a w - b a s e d i n t e r n a t i o n a l business environment to welcome entrepreneurs to invest in Yunnan," said the governor.

A t t h e e n d o f A u g u s t , t h e China(Yunnan) pilot free trade

z o n e ( F T Z ) w a s e s t a b l i s h e d , making a hit among the exhibitors at this year's expo. Ruan Chengfa said that Yunnan will learn from the successful experience of other pilot free trade zones in China and strive to build the China(Yunnan)

p i l o t f r e e t r a d e z o n e i n t o a new high ground for opening-up to Southeast Asia and a new engine for economic and social development.

Taking advantage of the pilot FTZ's favorable policies on cross-border e-commerce, the Rui l i -based E-Commerce Company for Trade Promotion has launched e-commerce service in Myanmar, winning increasing fame in the Myanmar market.

“The CIIE is essential for our future growth for we can access the industrial infromation we need. It is conducive to import and export, w h i l e p r o m o t i n g c o o p e r a t i o n with more countries,” said Wang G u a n g f u , c h a i r m a n t h e R u i l i company.

(Han Chengyuan, Liu Ziyu)

Yunnan has opened a number of passenger f l ights d irect ly connecting Kunming and Dhaka, shortening the flight duration to two hours. The connectivity of transport facilities has vigorously promoted the mutual flows of people, logistics and capital.

May 18th, 2005China Eastern Airlines opened

the Kunming-Dhaka passenger route, the first direct air route between China and Bangladesh since the civil aviation authorities of the two countries signed a bilateral agreement in 1980.

August, 2005Kunming and Chi t tagong

e n t e r e d i n t o a S i s t e r C i t y relationship.

February, 2006Yunnan University and the

North and South University of Bangladesh jointly established the Confucius Institute.

December 27th, 2006The Kunming-Dhaka regular

chartered cargo flight was officially launched.

June, 2013The 1 st China-South Asia

Expo and the 21st China Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair kicked off in Kunming, and Bangladesh participated in the event as the theme country. Ever s ince then , h igh- leve l government officials and business representatives of Bangladesh have attended every session of the China-South Asia Expo.

June, 2014 Bangladeshi Prime Minister

Sheikh Hasina at tended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2nd China-South Asia Expo and the 22nd China Kunming Import and Export Commodities Fair.

May 27th, 2015Zhej iang Loong Ai r l ines

launched the Kunming-Dhaka c a r g o f l i g h t , m a r k i n g t h e opening of Yunnan's first regular international air cargo route.

October 14th, 2016Chinese President Xi Jinping

and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina jointly unveiled the Confucius Institute that Yunnan University established at Dhaka University.

January, 2017Uni-top Airlines opened the

Kunming-Dhaka route. As the market demand grows, now nine flights operate on this route on a weekly basis, making it the most intensive route of Uni-top Airlines.

June, 2017the first South and Southeast

As i a Commodi ty Expo and Investment Fair (SSACEIF) was held in Kunming. The SSACEIF and the China-South Expo are held alternately every other year, further enhancing the Yunnan- Bangladesh cooperation.

June, 2018The 1 st China-South Asia

Cooperation Forum was held in Yunnan, opening a new chapter of Yunnan-Bangladesh cooperation.