China hails Khaleda’s role in Dhaka-Beijing ties

Diplomatic Correspondent :

China has expressed deep condolences over the passing of former Prime Minister and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, recalling her as a longstanding friend of the Chinese people and a key figure in advancing bilateral relations.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that China extends sincere sympathies to the interim government of Bangladesh and to Khaleda Zia’s family.

Responding to a question from Beijing Youth Daily, Lin said Khaleda Zia “was an old and dear friend of the Chinese people” who had long been committed to the China-Bangladesh friendship.

He noted that during her tenure as prime minister, she made active efforts to develop bilateral ties, during which the two countries established a comprehensive partnership of cooperation marked by long-term friendship, equality, and mutual benefit.

“Her important contribution to promoting the China-Bangladesh friendship and the development of bilateral ties will be remembered forever,” Lin said.

During her time in office, the bilateral relations were mainly marked by steady engagement at political, economic, and defence levels.

Bangladesh consistently reaffirmed its support for the ‘One China policy’, a position that helped cement political trust between the two countries.

High-level exchanges increased, with frequent visits by senior officials and growing coordination in regional and international forums.

Economic cooperation also expanded notably during that time. Bilateral trade grew steadily through the 1990s and early 2000s, with China emerging as one of Bangladesh’s major trading partners.

Chinese exports of machinery, electronics, and industrial inputs supported Bangladesh’s manufacturing and infrastructure sectors, while Bangladeshi exports, including textiles and jute products, found a growing market in China.

By the mid-2000s, trade volume had crossed the multi-billion-dollar mark, laying the groundwork for the far larger trade relationship seen today.

Khaleda Zia’s governments placed particular emphasis on infrastructure development and defense cooperation with China.

Several agreements signed during her tenure covered areas such as power generation, telecommunications, transport infrastructure, and technical assistance.

China also became a key defense partner for Bangladesh during this period, supplying military equipment and providing training support.

These ties later evolved into a broader defense cooperation framework that remains a pillar of bilateral relations.

Beyond hard infrastructure, cooperation extended to human resource development, with scholarships and training programs enabling Bangladeshi students and professionals to study in China.

Diplomats and analysts note that Khaleda Zia’s approach to China helped institutionalise a pragmatic, bipartisan consensus in Bangladesh’s foreign policy toward Beijing.

The comprehensive partnership she helped nurture later expanded into strategic cooperation in the following decades.

Notably, the foundation of Dhaka-Beijing relations was laid by late President Ziaur Rahman, who formally opened and expanded diplomatic engagement with Beijing in the mid-1970s, steering Bangladesh toward a pragmatic, multi-dimensional foreign policy.

Under Ziaur Rahman’s leadership, Bangladesh consolidated diplomatic recognition with China in 1975, paving the way for political trust, economic cooperation, and defense ties that continue to define the relationship today.

His outreach to China marked a strategic shift that diversified Bangladesh’s international partnerships and strengthened its position in regional geopolitics.

Observers note that the combined contributions of Ziaur Rahman, who initiated the relationship, and Khaleda Zia, who institutionalized and expanded it, helped embed China as a long-term strategic partner of Bangladesh beyond changes in government.

China’s message of condolence underscores that legacy. As Lin Jian stated, Khaleda Zia’s role in strengthening mutual trust and cooperation between the two countries has left a lasting imprint on Dhaka-Beijing relations.

With her passing, both nations are reflecting on a chapter in which the foundations of today’s close partnership were firmly laid, a contribution Beijing says will be remembered for generations.