ANKARA

China’s top diplomat Wang Yi encouraged Bangladesh on Thursday to overcome the difficulties and challenges, and move toward “unity and stability as soon as possible,” according to a statement by Beijing.

Wang made the comments during his meeting with Bangladesh's transitional government leader Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meetings in New York, where he praised the services of the Nobel laureate, who has been leading Bangladesh since August.

"I believe that you will live up to the expectations of the people, lead Bangladesh to overcome difficulties and challenges, and return to the right track of unity, stability, development and prosperity as soon as possible," Wang told Yunus, who earned fame for his macro-economic policies.

The two countries are “traditional friends” and Beijing is “willing to work with Bangladesh to carry forward traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, deepen cooperation in jointly building” the Belt and Road Initiative infrastructure project and promote the continuous development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, said Wang.

"China is willing to expand cooperation in agriculture, poverty alleviation, new energy and other fields according to the needs of Bangladesh, strengthen exchanges of experience in state governance and reform and opening up, and help Bangladesh's economic and social development," he added.

Yunus, Bangladesh’s only Nobel laureate, said he and his country have “long-standing friendly ties” with China and that "Bangladesh is willing to learn from China's experience and continuously expand the friendly cooperation between the two countries.”

He thanked China for sending medical staff to Bangladesh to treat injured students following a mass student-led uprising in July and August, that resulted in the end to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule after she fled the country on Aug. 5 amid a surge of protesters in Dhaka and around her residence.

Hasina currently lives in India.

More than 700 people were killed and 19,000 injured, including hundreds who lost their vision, arms and legs, according to the Health Ministry.

Notably, Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen visited the office of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh early this month and called the religo-politico-social organization a “well-organized” political party.

No diplomat has visited the party since the Hasina government launched so-called war crimes cases against Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh leaders in 2010.

The Yunus administration lifted the ban on the party shortly after assuming office.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid