The present Chinese government is attaching priority to further strengthening of ties with Bangladesh, he said at a meeting with a high-profile Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) delegation at a hotel in Dhaka.

He also expressed his willingness to further consolidate relations with the ruling alliance leader BNP.

Qinglin said China would always stand a reliable friend of Bangladesh, regardless of international politics. "China-Bangladesh relations are deeply rooted in the hearts of peoples of the two nations," he added.

Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, local government, rural development and cooperatives minister, who led the BNP delegation, said China was a trusted friend of Bangladesh from the beginning of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

He said the relations between the two countries developed further following frequent exchange of visits at party and government levels in the past years. Bhuiyan thanked the Chinese government for its contribution as an important development partner of Bangladesh.

BNP leaders Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Moudud Ahmed, Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddique, MM Rezaul Karim and Tarique Rahman were present, among others.