Bangladesh has asked a Chinese delegation, currently visiting the South Asian country, to import leather in order to narrow the trade deficit. The nine-member Chinese delegation led by Deng Liyang, director of the Department of Asian Affairs, Chinese Ministry of Commerce is in Bangladesh to promote bilateral trade.

According to a press release, at a meeting held with leaders of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) in Dhaka, the Chinese group discussed an interest in importing Bangladeshi leather, jute, and frozen foods, aiming to reduce the trade gap between the two nations.

It is said that in 2004-05, the trade deficit between Bangladesh and China grew to $1,555.67 million compared with $1,087.83 million in 2003-04. In 2004-05, Bangladesh exported goods worth $57.82 million to China while it imported goods worth $1613.49 million.

Mir Nasir Hossain, president of FBCCI, urged the delegation to increase cooperation with Bangladeshi businessmen to widen trade and investment. He said Bangladesh exported leather worth $220.93 million, raw jute worth $96.19 million and seafood worth $420.74 million in last fiscal and China imported only 3.96% of the country’s leather exports and 24.93% of its jute.