Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, shakes hands with Speaker of the Bangladesh National Assembly Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Oct. 15, 2015. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)

BEIJING -- China and Bangladesh on Thursday pledged better parliamentary cooperation.

China's top legislator Zhang Dejiang met visiting Speaker of the Bangladesh National Assembly Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury at the Great Hall of the People, saying China's National People's Congress (NPC) was ready to strengthen exchanges and experience sharing with the Bangladesh National Assembly on nation building and legislative supervision.

Zhang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the NPC, the top legislative body, said the two legislative bodies could discuss how to provide reliable legal protection and support for investment and personnel exchanges, while increasing exchanges and communication.

Zhang said the two countries should maintain high-level exchanges, strengthen exchanges between political parties, defense departments and local governments, consolidate traditional friendship, expand cooperation on infrastructure construction and energy, promote the construction of an economic corridor along Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar, increase educational and cultural exchanges, facilitate people-to-people exchanges, and strengthen coordination on major issues such as poverty reduction and development so as to safeguard the common interest of developing countries.

Chowdhury, on her part, said Bangladesh cherished the friendship with China. Bangladesh wanted to take the 40th anniversary of ties in this year as an opportunity to promote parliamentary exchanges, and bilateral cooperation on infrastructure construction and trade.

She spoke highly of the leading role played by China in South-South Cooperation and vowed to work with China to promote cooperation and achieve new progress.

Invited by Zhang, Chowdhury is visiting China from Wednesday to Saturday.

Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, meets with Speaker of the Bangladesh National Assembly Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, Oct. 15, 2015. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing)