Bangladesh, China set for higher level of cooperation
Bangladesh and China reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, expanding economic cooperation and enhancing people-to-people exchanges to elevate relations to a new height.
Speaking at the launch ceremony of the “2026 Chinese Government Training Programmes” at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen said relations between the two countries had gained “fresh momentum” following the formation of Bangladesh’s new BNP-led government after the February general election.
“China and Bangladesh have continued their long-standing friendship and deepened cooperation across various fields,” Ambassador Yao said, highlighting recent diplomatic exchanges and expanding economic engagement between the two countries.
Referring to the recent visit of Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman to China, the ambassador said both sides had reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in trade and investment, infrastructure, water resource management, digital economy, green development, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges.
“This visit injected fresh momentum into our Belt and Road cooperation,” he said, adding that both countries were seeking “more concrete outcomes through practical projects”.
The Chinese envoy also noted that a high-level BNP delegation led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir had recently visited China, where discussions focused on governance and institutional exchanges between the Communist Party of China and the BNP.
Highlighting growing Chinese investment in Bangladesh, Yao said at least four Chinese enterprises had signed investment agreements with Bangladesh over the past three months with intended investments worth nearly 100 million US dollars.
“China is the largest source of foreign investment for Bangladesh since the new government took office,” he said.
He added that China was actively advancing several major projects in Bangladesh, including the expansion and modernisation of Mongla Port facilities, the China-Bangladesh Friendship Hospital project and the China-Bangladesh Friendship Residential Hall at the University of Dhaka.
“I firmly believe that the China-Bangladesh Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership will continue to move forward and bring even greater benefits to the peoples of our two countries,” the ambassador said.
The training programmes are aimed at enhancing professional skills and strengthening institutional cooperation between the two countries. According to the Chinese Embassy, China will organise 23 bilateral and 30 multilateral training programmes this year for nearly 600 Bangladeshi participants.
The programmes will cover sectors including telecommunications and information technology, renewable energy, cross-border e-commerce, road transport, agriculture, tourism and education.
Speaking at the event, Mohammed Nore-Alam described China as “a trusted friend and important development partner of Bangladesh”.
“Over the past five decades, our partnership has steadily expanded in both depth and scope, evolving into a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership,” he said.
He noted that Bangladesh was the first South Asian country to join the Belt and Road Initiative and expressed optimism that bilateral relations would reach “an even higher level in the coming months through a stronger, more robust and forward-looking partnership”.
“In the context of a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, our relationship with China is more important than ever,” he added.
Nore-Alam said the current government remained committed to strengthening Bangladesh-China relations in a “practical, balanced and forward-looking manner” under its “Bangladesh First” policy.
He also stressed the importance of youth development, skills enhancement and innovation, saying the training programmes aligned closely with Bangladesh’s national priorities.
“China’s remarkable development journey over the past four decades offers valuable lessons for us in areas such as poverty alleviation, industrial modernisation, infrastructure development, technological advancement and human resource development,” he said.
The official urged the Bangladeshi participants to act as “good ambassadors of Bangladesh” during their stay in China and help further strengthen friendship between the peoples of the two countries.
Liu Yuyin, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of China in Bangladesh; Kawshar Jahan, Joint Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance; and Han Kun, President of the Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB), among others, were present on the occasion.
During the event, Han Kun highlighted the activities and ongoing projects of Chinese companies operating in Bangladesh and underscored the growing cooperation in trade, investment and industrial development between the two countries.
