浙江金盾将在孟加拉国吉大港的Mirersarai经济特区建设一座发电厂，一旦这项投资得以实现，这将是孟加拉国历史上获得的最大一笔投资
文｜朱拜尔·哈桑（Jubair Hasan） 孟加拉国《金融快报》记者 翻译｜王晓波
孟加拉国已经从一家中国公司获得了有史以来最大的一项外商投资计划，价值50亿美元。这样一大笔投资表明南亚经济正在成为中国对外投资的热点。
浙江金盾压力容器有限公司在发现孟加拉国是一个适合其进行投资的地方后，就向孟加拉国经济区管理局（BEZA）正式发出了投资要约。
来自中国的最大一笔投资
根据孟加拉国经济区管理局官员提供的信息，这家中国公司已经在吉大港这一港口城市的Mirersarai经济特区（SEZ）找到了一块面积达1000英亩的土地。他们打算在那里兴办企业，其中包括一个规模达到2640兆瓦的发电厂。一旦这个以燃煤为主的电厂建成后，它将成为孟加拉湾三角洲一带最大的发电机组。
与此同时，作为必要条件，该公司已经向孟加拉国经济区管理局支付了一部分资金，相当于其总投资额的百分之一。一旦这项投资得以实现，将会对孟加拉国的工业发展做出重大贡献，并最终帮助孟加拉国政府实现到2021年使国家步入中等收入国家行列的目标。
最近几年，南亚经济不断增长，同时中国在该地区各领域的境外投资也在显著上升，其中包括制造业、基础设施建设、能源和矿产资源。
投资额呈增长趋势标志着双边关系已经从密切的全方位伙伴关系发展成为“战略合作伙伴关系”，这是中国国家主席习近平2016年10月访问达卡时两国领导人共同做出的承诺。
孟加拉国经济区管理局执行主席帕班·乔杜里说，这是孟加拉国历史上获得的最大一笔投资计划。在过去的一年半时间里，这家中国公司进行了可行性研究，并在提出要约前仔细评估了这里的营商环境。
他说，该公司已要求在正在建设中的Mirersarai经济特区以一次性租用的方式获得一块基础设施类别的土地，该特区距离吉大港很近。该公司想在这块土地上建一个2640兆瓦的燃煤发电厂，同时也将发展其它产业。
Mirersarai经济特区
乔杜里先生说，“自从孟加拉国成为中国的旗舰项目一带一路的积极成员国后，我们就开始接到越来越多的中国企业期望在各个潜在行业进行投资的方案。”
当被问及该计划的下一步行动时，他说，政府权力机构中的高级别委员会将在最短时间内对其进行审核后予以批准。
在谈到吸引更多境外投资的措施时，他说，孟加拉国政府在谢赫·哈西娜的领导下，为海外投资者提供了大量的优惠政策，尤其是对中国。哈西娜是孟加拉国开国之父谢赫·穆吉布·拉赫曼的女儿。比如，正在专门为中国企业建一个经济特区，他们在那里可以享受到免税、不间断的能源供应以及其他财政福利。
在要约中，浙江金盾压力容器有限公司的董事长周建灿还按照要求附上了一张支付给孟加拉国经济区管理局的价值约70万美元的转账票据。
按照这份要约，这家隶属中国浙江省的公司承诺将在得到孟加拉国经济区管理局批准后的三年内完成其投资过程。
去年1月24日，作为政府为当地和海外投资者建设100个经济区计划的一部分，孟加拉国总理谢赫·哈西娜出席了其中最大的一个经济区的开工典礼，它位于吉大港的Mirersarai地区，占地近1200英亩。
目前它距离达卡和吉大港经济走廊附近的地段正在建设中。该经济区距吉大港仅一小时的车程。至少有五十家企业已经向经济区申请了工业用地，它一共有800到850块土地，可满足350家企业的需求。它将由三个方投资建立——一个由当地公司组成的财团、孟加拉国出口加工区管理局（BEZA）和BEZA。
除了位于Mirersarai的经济区外，另一个经济特区也正在吉大港建设中，它只面向来自中国的投资者，是由中国港湾工程公司负责这一占地774英亩的建设。
投资孟加拉应注意什么
从近年来中国向孟加拉国投资金额和速度的趋势看，在未来几年里中国作为世界第二大经济体跃居成为新兴的南亚经济最大的境外直接投资国将一点也不足为奇。
实际上，这已经不是中国公司第一次在能源领域进行这样大规模的投资了。另一家中国公司也将在位于孟加拉海岸的帕亚拉投资约20亿美元，建设一个燃煤巨型发电厂。这一项目已经在去年举行的一带一路倡议高峰论坛期间签署了。与此同时，中国的公司还在与其他一些国际公司展开竞争，希望得到在孟加拉国建设陆上液化天然气码头的合同。
根据孟加拉国政府的统计数据，截至2016年，美国是其最大的境外直接投资国，投资总额为33亿美元；中国排在第十六位，投资额为2.4121亿美元。2016年，中国对孟加拉国的投资创下历史最高记录，达到6140万美元。可是官方的统计数据没有反映出这一实际情况，因为许多来自中国的投资是绕道香港、新加坡、甚至美国到达孟加拉国的。
在接受采访时，孟加拉华侨华人协会副秘书长丁田说，由于政府这些年来采取的各种激励措施，中国投资者们在孟加拉国的投资环境相对来讲是很宽松的。
他特别提到了孟加拉国吸引投资者的两个地方：地理位置和劳动力成本相对较低。他说，“是的，许多中国投资者对在这里投资表现出了兴趣，而且投资人数正在逐步增加。”
不过，他也指出，基础设施条件差、缺乏足够的天然气和电力供应、劳资纠纷得不到妥善处理和一些政府部门办事效率低下也给企业家们留下了不好的印象。
他进而补充说，“我知道，政府正在努力解决这些存在的问题。一旦阻碍清除后，营商环境将得到改善，会有更多的投资者前来，因为孟加拉国的确是一个兴办企业的理想之地。”
他建议中国的企业家们最好能亲赴孟加拉国，对其投资环境做出客观的评估，也对市场进行充分考查。在此基础上，投资者们还应当按照孟加拉国的相关法律和规定，了解投资和注册的程序。
此外，投资者们也需要咨询当地的律师、会计师和其他专业人员，在维护自身合法权益的同时，通过他们顺应当地的要求，做好与相关部门的协调工作。他特别强调说，投资者们一定要调查清楚当地合作伙伴的信誉状况。
孟加拉国出口商协会主席Abdus Salam Murshedy对中国境外直接投资的增长趋势大加赞赏，他认为不仅是投资本身对孟加拉国非常有利，而且还有另一个重要原因，即在互相合作的过程中学习到中方最好的经验。
他指出，孟加拉国的经济高度依赖制造业和农业，而有技术的劳动力却严重短缺，这阻碍了国家最大限度地利用其自身潜能。如果能够应用到最先进的技术，就可以很容易地弥补这一不足，而中国恰恰是世界上最大的制造业基地，并且是现代技术的一个重要来源。
Murshedy先生本人以前曾任孟加拉国服装制造与出口协会主席，他说，成衣制造是孟加拉国最大的产业，它每年的服装出口位居世界第二，仅列在中国之后。这一产业在2017年财政年度为国家赚取了近290亿美元的外汇，并且为超过440万人提供了就业机会，他们中大多是女性。成衣制造商们计划到2021年国家庆祝独立50周年时，能够创造500亿美元的外汇收入。但是目前这一行业需要25%的熟练工人，这已成为阻碍实现这一目标的一个主要问题。
他说，“因此，孟加拉国各行业都需要吸引大量的中国投资者，这样他们可以学习到中国的先进技术和经验，并将其投入应用，从而在工业和农业方面获得最大的产出。”
他还说，孟加拉国处于BCIM（孟中印缅）经济走廊的中部地区，同时在二十一世纪海上丝绸之路上也占据了一个战略地位，因为吉大港是通过印度洋的一个非常关键的海上枢纽，这对于经济带和海上丝绸之路倡议来说都是至关重要的因素。（编辑：杨海霞）
China offers largest single FDI to Bangladesh
By Jubair Hasan; Journalist of The Financial Express
Bangladesh has received largest ever single foreign investment proposal worth $5.0 billion from a Chinese company and such a large volume of the financial offer indicates that the South Asian economy is emerging as a hotspot for Chinese outbound investment.
In an offer letter, Zhejiang Jindun Pressure Vessel Co. Ltd. officially sent the proposal to Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA) after the company found Bangladesh as a suitable place for its would-be investment.
According to the BEZA officials, the firm has sought 1000 acres of land in Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at Mirersarai in the port city of Chittagong for establishing industries that include a massive 2640-megawatt power plant. Once the coal-fired power base is installed, it would be the largest power-generating unit in the delta of Bay of Bengal.
At the same time, the company has already paid a part of the fund, equivalent to one percent of the total investment offer to the BEZA as per its requirements. Once the investment is made, it is believed to be contributed to the country's industrial growth that will ultimately help Bangladesh government achieve its target of transforming the nation into a middle-income economy by 2021.
In recent years, the growing South Asian economy witnessed significant rise of Chinese outbound investment in various sectors like manufacturing industries, infrastructural developments, energy and mineral resources.
The increased trend of investment flow marked the sign that the bilateral relation elevated to a 'strategic partnership for cooperation' from closer comprehensive partnership as promised by heads of both countries during Chinese President Xi Jinping's Dhaka visit on October in 2016.
BEZA Executive Chairman Paban Chowdhury said it is the largest single investment proposal in the history of Bangladesh and the Chinese company did a feasibility study for last one and half years to evaluate business climate here before placing such offer.
He said the company has appealed for a infrastructure-category plot on one-time lease basis in under-construction Mirersarai Special Economic Zone, which is near to Chittagong Port and it wants to set up a massive 2640-megawatt coal-fired power plant and other industries.
“We've been receiving growing number of foreign investment proposals from Chinese entrepreneurs in various potential sectors since Bangladesh became an active member of China's flagship project Belt and Road,” Mr. Chowdhury said.
When asked about the next course of actions to the proposal, he said it will be scrutinized by a high-powered committee of the authority to give approval within the shortest possible time.
Talking about the activities to attract more FDI (foreign direct investment), he said the government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, daughter of father of the nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman, come up with bunch of offers for the overseas investors, Chinese in particular. For example, one special economic zone is being built for Chinese entrepreneurs where they will enjoy tax holiday, uninterrupted supple of energy and other fiscal benefits.
In the offer letter, Chairman of Zhejiang Jindun Pressure Vessel Co. Ltd. Zhou Jiancan sent a money-transfer note worth around $0.7 million in favour of BEZA to meet its requirement.
According to the letter, the firm from Chinese Zhejiang province has pledged to complete its investment process within three years of getting approval from the BEZA.
On January 24 last, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as part of her government plan to build 100 economic zones for both local and overseas investors inaugurated the country's largest Economic Zone on nearly 1200 acres of land Charsarat of Ichakhali Union in Mirersarai under Chittagong.
It is being developed near Dhaka-Chittagong economic corridor and its location is one hour road transport distance from the Chittagong Port. At least 50 entrepreneurs have already applied for industrial plots in the zone. It will have 800-850 plots that can accommodate 350 industries.
It will be built by three groups – a consortium of local companies, Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority (BEPZA) and BEZA.
The way Chinese investment is flowing to Bangladesh in recent years, if the world's second largest economy becomes the biggest FDI contributor to the emerging South Asian economy in couple of years will not be matter of wonder.
This is not first time a Chinese company is offering such a massive investment in power sector, another Chinese company is going to invest around $2.0 billion in the coal-based mega-power plant in Payra located on the coastal part of Bangladesh and the deal was signed during the BRF (Belt and Road Forum) held last year in Beijing. At the same time, Chinese companies are also in a race with some other global firms to secure contract for building onshore LNG (liquefied natural gas) terminal in the country.
According to the Bangladesh government statistics, the USA tops the FDI list with total investment of around $3.30 billion while China holds 16th position in the list of highest FDI contributors with total investment of $241.21 million till the year of 2016. On that year, Bangladesh witnessed highest ever Chinese FDI amounting $61.40 million, but official figure doesn't represent actual scenario because many Chinese investments come to Bangladesh via Hong Kong, Singapore and even the US.
When contacted, Deputy Secretary General of Overseas Chinese Association in Bangladesh Ding Tian said the investment environment for Chinese investors is relatively relaxed in Bangladesh thanks to various initiatives taken by the government over the years.
He said two things –geographical location and availability of labour force at comparatively cheaper rate have attracted the investors here. “Yes, many Chinese investors are showing interest here and the number is going up gradually.”
But some issues like poor infrastructure, lack of enough supply of gas and power, poor handling of labour disputes, inefficient government departments have been hurting the businessmen, he said.
“I know, the government is working hard to resolve these problems. Once these obstacles are settled, the climate of doing business will be improved and more investors will come here because Bangladesh is a perfect place for business,” he added.
He suggested the Chinese businessmen coming to Bangladesh to evaluate objectively the investment climate here and make full investigation of the market. On the basis of that, investors should handle the investment and registration procedures in accordance with relevant laws and regulations of the country.
The investors, at the same time, should pay attention to using the assistance of local lawyers, accountants and other professionals to do their compliance work while maintaining their legal rights and interests. “Special attention should also be paid to investigating the creditworthiness of their partners.
Hailing the upward trend of Chinese FDI inflow, President of Exporters' Association of Bangladesh Abdus Salam Murshedy said it is not only about the investment, it is also important for another reason – learning best practices through exchanging business.
He said Bangladesh economy is highly dependent on manufacturing and agriculture sectors but shortage of skilled labour force prevented the country to gain best use of the potentials. The deficit can easily be overcome through application of latest technology and China is the world's largest manufacturing base and a key source of modern technology.
Mr. Murshedy, former president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters' Association (BGMEA), said RMG (Readymade Garment) sector is the biggest sector in Bangladesh and it is the globe's second last apparel exporter and China. The industry earns nearly $29 billion in FY'17 by making direct employment of over 4.40 million workers, mostly women. The manufacturers made a projection of earning $50 billion by 2021 when the country would celebrate 50 years anniversary of independence. But the industry lacks 25 per cent of skilled workers which is turning into a main problem of achieving the goal.
“So, attracting large volume of Chinese investors in various sectors Bangladesh can learn their best practices and apply those to have maximum industrial and agricultural outputs,” he said.
He also said Bangladesh is centrally situated along the BCIM Economic Corridor and retains a strategic position along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road with Chittagong port as a major maritime pivot through the Indian Ocean, a very important factor for realisation of both the Economic Belt and Maritime Road initiatives.
Indeed, Bangladesh's relations with China clearly present a host of opportunities. It may be expected that in the coming years, Bangladesh and China will achieve a truly beneficial and strategic partnership conducive to the establishment of a peaceful and prosperous South Asia.