#BREAKING: Yunus Meets Xi: Bangladesh Chief Pleads For China's Cash And Clout
YUNUS TO XI: BANGLADESH BEGS CHINA FOR CHEAP LOANS AND BIG PROJECTS
Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Friday, capping a four-day visit aimed at deepening ties with the Asian powerhouse.
Fresh from the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan, Yunus arrived in the capital Thursday, greeted by Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, and wasted no time pressing China for economic lifelines.
In talks with Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on the forum’s sidelines, Yunus pushed for slashed interest rates on Chinese loans—down from 3% to 1-2%—and a waiver on commitment fees for Beijing-funded projects. With China as Bangladesh’s fourth-biggest lender at $7.5 billion since 1975, per the Daily Star, Yunus also angled for help relocating Chinese industries like garments, electric vehicles, and high-tech electronics to Bangladesh.
The meeting with Xi followed Yunus’s broader pitch for development support, amid Bangladesh’s pivot to stabilize its economy.
He also met Russian Deputy PM Alexey Overchuk, who offered more wheat and fertilizer exports, plus progress on the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. Yunus didn’t stop there—chatting up former UN chief Ban Ki-moon, now Boao Forum Chairman, he sought guidance for Bangladesh’s democratic reboot. “We want to start anew; we need your support,” he urged.
From loan relief to industrial dreams, Yunus’s China trip underscores Dhaka’s scramble for growth and stability. As he hobnobs with global heavyweights, the stakes are high for a nation eager to turn opportunity into action.
