Bangladeshi Foreign Minister M Morshed Khan Sunday termed Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's visit to China highly successful, saying it would add new dimensions and set new directions for the future.

The talks were frank, cordial and positive. Both sides were committed to take the existing relations to new heights, Khan told a post-visit press briefing at the Foreign Ministry.

After the official talks between Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao who had in-depth discussions on all aspects of bilateral relations, four memoranda of understanding and an exchange of letters were signed between the two countries, Khan said.

These include cooperation in the field of water resources, twinning of Chittagong with Kunming City of China, cooperation in tourism and natural gas sectors and construction of a friendship exhibition center in Dhaka.

Khan said Wen agreed to give further duty-free facilities to Bangladeshi products and a government purchase mission would soon visit Bangladesh to see what exportable items could be given duty free access to China and explore investment potentials in Bangladesh.

Chinese leaders appreciated Bangladesh's sticking to the one-China policy and its stand on human rights, Khan said.

Zia's visit to China coincided with the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and China.

(Xinhua News Agency August 22, 2005)