Bangladesh-China: Continue traditional friendship, jointly create better future

At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh will pay an official visit to China on 8 July. This is Honorable Prime Minister Hasina’s fifth visit to China and her first visit to China after five years. It is of historic significance to build on past achievements and forge ahead for the future of bilateral relations.

During the visit, Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will have meetings with and call on Chinese leaders. This visit will surely inject vibrant impetus into the bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, and promote new achievements in the Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between China and Bangladesh, and elevate the relationship to a new height.

The friendship between China and Bangladesh was jointly founded and nurtured by the older generation of leaders from both countries. Over the past 49 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have always respected and treated each other as equals for mutual benefit and win-win results, supported each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests, and worked hand in hand on the path to their respective development and revitalization, setting a shining example of friendly coexistence and win-win cooperation between countries.

The amicable cooperation between China and Bangladesh exhibits strong vitality, dynamism, and growth potential, not targeted at any third party, widely welcomed and supported by both peoples, contributing to regional and international peace and stability, as well as fostering development and prosperity. Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has reiterated quite a few times that China is Bangladesh’s most trustworthy development partner and most reliable friend. This is the most vivid portrayal of the relationship between the two countries.

Over the past 49 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Bangladesh have achieved remarkable achievements in their respective national construction, economic development and modernization drive. China has become the world’s second largest economy, won the largest poverty alleviation battle in human history, completed the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects as scheduled, and advanced the great cause of building China into a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese Modernization.

Bangladesh relies on self-reliance to feed nearly 180 million people, maintaining long-term political stability and rapid economic development. The average annual growth rate of GDP in the past decade has exceeded 6 per cent, the total amount of GDP has exceeded 450 billion US dollars, and the per capita GDP has reached nearly 2800 US dollars. Its economic strength has risen to the second place in South Asia.

Bangladesh has transformed from one of the poorest countries to one of the fastest growing economies in the world, leading South Asian countries in terms of average life expectancy, literacy rate, and female labor force share, creating the “Bay of Bengal Miracle” and becoming a leader in the Global South. Bangladesh is on track to graduate from the LDCs by 2026, and has formulated ambitious plans to become a middle-income country in 2026, an upper-middle income country in 2031, and a developed country in 2041, striding towards the realization of the “Vision 2041” and the dream of “Sonar Bangla”.

The sound and stable development of China-Bangladesh relations is inseparable from the guidance of the leaders of both countries. In 2016,Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a historic state visit to Bangladesh. During the visit, the relationship between the two countries was elevated to Strategic Partnership of Cooperation, pointing the way for China-Bangladesh friendly cooperation in the new era. During Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China in 2019, the relationship was further elevated to a new level.

China firmly supports Bangladesh in safeguarding its national sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, opposing external interference, and choosing independently a development path that suits its national conditions. China also supports Bangladesh in pursuing a foreign policy of “Friendship to all, malice towards none”. On the other hand, Bangladesh firmly adheres to the one-China principle and staunchly supports China in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development interests. China and Bangladesh share similar historical experiences,abide by similar foreign policies, values, and development concepts, and have always understood and supported each other. On the path of Bangladesh’s modernization, China is a loyal companion and an active contributor.

The highlight of China-Bangladesh relations lies in the high-level trade and economic cooperation. China has been Bangladesh’s largest trading partner for 13 years in a row. By the end of 2023, China has invested 3.2 billion US dollars in Bangladesh, making it Bangladesh’s second-largest source of foreign investment. China has built 7 railways, 12 highways, 21 bridges, and 31 power stations in Bangladesh. Especially since the Belt and Road Initiative has taken root in the “Golden Bay of Bengal”,the promising land of South Asia, the Chinese side has built a series of landmark projects and large-scale engineering projects for Bangladesh, such as Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, and Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant, which have delivered tangible benefits to the Bangladeshi people. Right now, nearly a thousand Chinese companies are operating in Bangladesh, bringing about over 550,000 job opportunities. Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke highly of BRI that it has opened a new door of development for Bangladesh and played a significant role in the economic takeoff of Bangladesh.

China-Bangladesh relations are deeply rooted in the ever-closer friendly ties between the two peoples. On the International Children’s Day last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping replied to letter from a Bangladeshi child named Alifa Chin, encouraging her to study hard, pursue her dreams and carry on the traditional friendship between Bangladesh and China. Chin’s story is an epitome of the close bonds between our two nations.

Nowadays, nearly 20,000 Bangladeshi students are studying in China, and two Confucius Institutes and one Confucius Classroom have provided training programs to around 3000 students in Bangladesh over the past year. A wave of Chinese language learning has swept across Bangladesh. The Centre for China Studies in the University of Dhaka (CCS) has provided a new, larger platform for cooperation between think tanks and academia of the two countries.

Direct flights between Beijing and Dhaka will officially commence by Air China and China Southern Airlines respectively this month. The number of flights will thereby amount to 80 flights per week with a capacity of over 15,000 passengers, further enhancing personnel exchanges and promoting business investment between China and Bangladesh. According to the “National Image of China in Bangladesh” survey conducted by authoritative Bangladeshi think tanks for two consecutive years, over 90 per cent of the respondents believe that the current state of China-Bangladesh relations is positive, and there has been a noticeable increase in the approval and friendliness of the Bangladeshi people toward China.

China and Bangladesh support each other in the multilateral arena and jointly uphold international fairness and justice. China supports Bangladesh’s initiative for the “Culture of Peace” Resolution at the United Nations General Assembly for 25 consecutive years, supports Bangladesh being a partner country of the BRICS and hopes Bangladesh would be a member of the BRICS at an early date, and appreciates Bangladesh’s outstanding contributions to and enormous sacrifices in international peacekeeping operations.

China and Bangladesh share similar positions on issues such as democracy promotion, human rights protection, women empowerment, climate change, environmental conservation and sustainable development. We coordinate and cooperate within multilateral organizations and mechanisms such as the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, and the ASEAN Regional Forum. China and Bangladesh have also bolstered cooperation on such issues as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the Ukraine crisis, working together to maintain world peace and stability.

China understands and sympathizes with the tremendous costs that Bangladesh has borne regarding the Rohingya issue. Repatriation is the only way to resolve this problem. As for the situation in Rakhine State, China is sparing no effort in engaging with the relevant parties in Myanmar for a political settlement, playing a facilitating role in achieving a ceasefire in Rakhine State, and striving to restart the repatriation process for the Rohingya people.

“A partnership forged with the right approach defies geographical distance; it is thicker than glue and stronger than metal and stone”. During Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to China, it is expected that both sides will reach important consensus and sign multiple cooperation documents and MOUs in areas such as infrastructure, free trade agreements, agricultural product exports to China, Southern Bangladesh’s Development, digital economy, disaster prevention, poverty alleviation, clean energy, healthcare, education and cultural exchanges.

China stands ready to take this visit as an opportunity to further deepen political mutual trust between the two countries, strengthen the synergy of development strategies, consolidate traditional friendship, and work together to realize the Chinese Dream of National Rejuvenation and Bangladesh’s “Vision 2041”.

We wish Honorable Prime Minister Hasina’s visit to China a complete success! Long live China- Bangladesh friendship!

***Yao Wen is the ambassador of China to Bangladesh