Interview: world to benefit from better ties between China and Britain

DHAKA -- The world will benefit from the better bilateral relations and cooperation between China and Britain, Chairman of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (ISIS) Munshi Faiz Ahmad has said.

Ahmad's remarks came as Chinese President Xi Jinping pays a state visit to Britain.

In an interview with Xinhua on Monday, Munshi Faiz Ahmad said "Any indication that bilateral relations between China and Britain are getting better and better everyday will send a positive signal to the rest of the world."

Ahmad said "There is every indication that the present level of cooperation between the two countries will continue to be on the up swing for the near future," said the chairman of the BIISS, a statutory institution established in 1978 by the Bangladeshi government with the aim of undertaking and promoting research and deliberation on international affairs, security and developmental issues.

Ahmad, also the deputy high commissioner of Bangladesh to Britain, said, "This (Xi's trip to Britain and Britain's preparation to welcome the Chinese president) also signals considerable reduction of tension between China and the rest of the West which obviously will be positive for global peace, stability and security."

"The present government of Britain is trying to pursue China to have a large quantity of investment in various sectors including setting up nuclear power plant," said Ahmed, who also served ambassador of Bangladesh to China.

As a big economy, a big consumer and a big trading country, "anything that China does or anything that happens in China affects the whole world both economically and financially as well as in other ways."

Therefore, he said, the Chinese president's visit to Britain and any other country is very important. It has important bearing on global peace, stability and security.

Terming Britain as one of the leading countries of the West, the chairman said "We want the major powers in the world to live in cooperation and friendship and avoid confrontation," he said.

"This will allow us to benefit from cooperation with all of them."

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday headed to Britain for a five-day state visit, the first by a Chinese president in a decade.