China eyes deep coop with BD

China has reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations, with political leaders from both countries pledging deeper strategic cooperation, expanded economic engagement and institutional exchanges.

The commitment came at a high-level roundtable held in a city hotel in the capital on Wednesday when the two countries inaugurated the Bangladesh-China Research Centre for Party and State Governance Studies at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS), marking a new initiative to strengthen political dialogue, exchange governance experiences and promote long-term cooperation.

The centre was inaugurated during the roundtable titled Where History Illuminates the Future: China-Bangladesh ‘Political Parties Plus’.

The event brought together senior political representatives, diplomats, academics, media figures and business leaders from both countries.

Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Political Adviser to the Prime Minister and Acting Secretary General of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), attended as the Chief Guest, while Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), delivered the keynote address.

Addressing the gathering, Rizvi described Bangladesh-China relations as rooted in longstanding friendship, mutual trust and historical connections.

He recalled that President Ziaur Rahman laid the foundations for closer strategic engagement through his visits to China in 1977 and 1980, while bilateral relations gained further momentum during the tenure of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, particularly in 2005.

He said the present government remained committed to an independent, balanced and forward-looking foreign policy guided by the principle of ‘Bangladesh First’.

Highlighting the significance of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to Beijing in June 2026, Rizvi recalled his meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and National People’s Congress Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji.

“Allow me to reiterate Bangladesh’s strong commitment to the One-China principle and that there is but one China in the world,” Rizvi said, reaffirming Dhaka’s position on an important dimension of its relationship with Beijing.

He also highlighted the growing economic significance of the partnership, noting that bilateral trade reached $12.8 billion in the first half of 2026.

He welcomed China’s proposed Economic and Industrial Zone in Bangladesh, which is expected to attract around 30 Chinese companies, bring in $500 million in investment and generate approximately 100,000 jobs.

Rizvi also urged China to consider establishing a technical university in Bangladesh, saying that greater cooperation in education and skills development could help strengthen the country’s human resources.

In his keynote address, Liu Haixing emphasised that mutual understanding, economic cooperation and shared development had remained the defining features of Bangladesh-China relations over the decades.

“Mutual understanding and affinity have always been the defining feature of China-Bangladesh relations, mutually beneficial cooperation has always been the mainstay of China-Bangladesh engagement, and joint development has always been the shared aspiration of the peoples of China and Bangladesh,” he said.

Recalling the historical development of bilateral ties, Liu said President Xi Jinping’s visit to Bangladesh in 2016 elevated relations to a strategic cooperative partnership.

He added that the June 2026 meeting between Xi and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had provided a new direction for cooperation through the proposed China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era.

Liu outlined four priorities for future engagement: strengthening political trust, promoting development cooperation, deepening people-to-people friendship and expanding practical collaboration.

He noted that bilateral trade had increased from approximately $15 million to more than $23 billion over five decades, describing Bangladesh as an early partner in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation in South Asia.

Referring to Chinese-supported infrastructure projects, he mentioned highways, bridges, the Mongla Port Industrial Park and the Teesta River restoration initiative as examples of cooperation contributing to Bangladesh’s development.

Liu also announced the ‘Lighting Up the Future’ initiative, under which China would provide smart classrooms and educational materials to schools in Dhaka.

He stressed that the CPC remained committed to maintaining exchanges with major political parties across Bangladesh, indicating that party-to-party engagement would continue irrespective of political differences.

The newly established research centre is expected to provide an institutional platform for examining governance systems, public administration and political development in both countries, he added.

“In China, there is a saying ‘one should mirror the past to understand the present; without the past, the present cannot be.’ History has bestowed on us a precious friendship that spans generations,” he emphasised.

Colonel Md Mashequr Rahman, Acting Director General of BIISS, said the initiative would facilitate intellectual engagement and mutual learning rather than encourage the wholesale adoption of another country’s governance model.

“It should become a bridge between ideas, institutions, and people,” he said.

The participation of representatives from different political parties also highlighted the importance both countries attach to maintaining bilateral relations beyond changes in government.

Nahid Islam, Convener of the National Citizen Party (NCP), MP and Chief Whip of the Opposition, said Bangladesh’s political differences should not undermine its national interests in foreign relations.

“At home, we compete as a democracy. But in our friendship with China, we speak as far as possible with one voice for Bangladesh,” he said.

Nahid called for cooperation in artificial intelligence, technical education and industrial development, proposing joint AI laboratories, mutual recognition of technical qualifications and greater integration of Bangladeshi suppliers into Chinese-led economic zones.

Mia Ghulam Parwar, Secretary-General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, also emphasised the importance of maintaining party-level relations.

“Government changes, but the ties between parties and peoples remain,” he said.

He expressed interest in learning from China’s experiences in poverty reduction, grassroots governance and environmental protection, while underscoring the need for a safe and dignified return of Rohingya refugees to Myanmar as an important condition for regional stability.

Academics and business representatives highlighted areas where the partnership could be expanded to deliver more balanced economic benefits.

Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, Executive Director of the Centre for Alternatives, referred to survey findings indicating that 74 per cent of respondents in Bangladesh held positive views of China.

He attributed the goodwill partly to historical and civilisational connections and China’s policy of non-interference.

He proposed expanding cooperation in energy, high-speed rail, artificial intelligence and regional connectivity, including a possible railway network connecting the eight divisional headquarters of Bangladesh.

Mohd. Khorshed Alam, President of the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), pointed to the persistent imbalance in bilateral trade, noting that Bangladesh’s exports to China remained below $1 billion despite substantial overall trade volumes.

He called for greater Chinese market access for Bangladeshi garments, jute products and pharmaceuticals, alongside increased Chinese investment in manufacturing, economic zones and technical training.

Chargé d’Affaires (CDA) at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka Dr Liu Yuyin moderated the event.