China expresses hope of strengthening military ties with Bangladesh army

Dhaka [Bangladesh], August 2 (ANI): China has expressed hope that its military will strengthen cooperation and deepen friendship with Bangladesh armed forces for maintaining world peace, The Daily Star reported. 
Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh in a statement said, "Guided by the consensus reached by top leaders of China and Bangladesh, the both militaries will continually strengthen solidarity and cooperation on the basis of the already fruitful results, work together to meet challenges, and jointly write a new chapter in deepening China-Bangladesh friendship and maintaining world peace."
Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh made the statement as it held a reception on Monday to celebrate the 96th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China (PLA). Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman, Principal Staff Officerof Bangladesh Armed Forces Division, was chief guest at the reception.
More than 200 dignitaries from the Bangladeshi armed forces, government, police, foreign missions and defence attches in Dhaka and the local Chinese community attended the event. Lieutenant General Waker-Uz-Zaman congratulated the PLA on the occasion, according to the statement. 
Earlier in January, a report said that China is also stepping forward for Bangladeshi port Mongla, Nikkei Asia reported. Bangladesh's second-largest port, Mongla, is one of the projects where India has transhipment facilities to carry goods to its landlocked northeastern states.
In 2015, the governments of Bangladesh and India decided to upgrade Mongla under a line of credit from New Delhi. After approving the project, Mongla Port Authority signed a deal with Egis India Consulting Engineers in late December.Meanwhile, China, which has been eyeing the facility for years is taking up steps in having the Bangladeshi port Mongla, Nikkei Asia reported. 
This move is "very surprising," Delwar Hossain, director of the East Asia Center at the University of Dhaka, said of the often bitter rivals agreeing to fund the same port.China, signed an umbrella deal in 2016 when Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Dhaka, under which it pledged to fund 27 development projects including an expansion and modernization of Mongla's facilities, according to Nikkei Asia reported. 
Yet, although a feasibility study found the project "crucial" for Bangladesh, Beijing was slow to pony up the planned USD 400 million, reported Nikkei Asia. Earlier, on December 14, after the reports surfaced on New Delhi's selection of Egis, Beijing confirmed to the Bangladeshi Finance Ministry that it was willing to fund the project. (ANI)