Beijing backs Dhaka’s governance drive

Bangladesh and China on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation through governance exchanges, institutional partnerships and development collaboration, with Beijing identifying political unity, social stability and economic diversification as critical challenges for Bangladesh’s long-term development.

The commitment was underscored at the inaugural session of the four-day Comparative Governance Forum 2026, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and China’s Fudan University.

Speaking at the forum, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen and Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kobir stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in governance, trade, infrastructure, technology and regional connectivity.

Addressing the forum, Ambassador Yao described Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s governance approach as “people-centred, pragmatic and efficient”, saying it had brought “a fresh look” to national governance.

“China will always remain Bangladesh’s trustworthy good friend, good neighbour and good partner,” the envoy said.

Yao noted that Bangladesh’s new government had adopted a development-oriented strategy focused on improving people’s livelihoods.

However, he said sustaining political unity and social stability, diversifying the economy beyond its dependence on a single industry and creating a more favourable external environment would be essential to the country’s governance journey.

“At the same time, challenges such as maintaining political unity and social stability under complex circumstances, breaking through the bottleneck of a single-industry structure, and creating a more favourable external environment are important issues that need to be addressed in Bangladesh’s governance journey,” he said.

The ambassador said governance cooperation had become an important pillar of efforts to build the China-Bangladesh Community with a Shared Future for the New Era, adding that the forum reflected both countries’ growing interest in sharing governance experiences and institutional best practices.

He said the forum followed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China in June, during which the two countries agreed to elevate their Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and jointly advance the shared future framework.

Describing the visit as “a complete success” and “a milestone in bilateral relations”, Yao said the understandings reached by the two leaders had laid the foundation for what he termed the “Golden Fifty Years” of Bangladesh-China relations.

Looking ahead, he said both countries had agreed to expand high-quality cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by aligning their development strategies.

He also referred to agreements on the comprehensive management of the Teesta River, the modernisation and expansion of Mongla Port, and advancing the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor.

Speaking as chief guest, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kobir said Bangladesh’s strategic geographical position offered considerable opportunities to strengthen cooperation with China in trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges.

“Bangladesh’s strategic location provides significant opportunities to strengthen regional connectivity and expand cooperation in trade, tourism, investment and cultural exchanges,” he said.

Kobir said greater investment in transport infrastructure, aviation and digital connectivity would be crucial for accelerating economic growth and strengthening regional integration.

“We welcome greater collaboration with China and other international partners in advancing sustainable infrastructure, aviation, tourism and innovation for the benefit of our peoples,” he said.

He added that Bangladesh’s future prosperity would depend not only on economic growth but also on stronger institutions, social resilience and deeper international cooperation.

Highlighting the importance of comparative governance, Kobir said Bangladesh could benefit from China’s development experience while tailoring lessons to its own national priorities.

“Comparative governance does not mean copying another country’s model in its entirety. Rather, it means learning from successful experiences while adapting them to our own realities and national priorities,” he said.

Kobir also said the next 50 years of Bangladesh-China relations could unlock new opportunities in trade, technology, infrastructure and connectivity.

He noted that discussions on zero-tariff market access, manufacturing cooperation, supply chain relocation and advanced technology partnerships could help generate employment, strengthen industrial capacity and diversify Bangladesh’s export base.

The forum brought together policymakers, diplomats and academics from both countries to exchange views on governance, poverty reduction, digital governance, artificial intelligence and the evolving role of the Global South.