Prime Minister's Beijing trip emphasises political proximity

Following a summit meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, the two countries are set to issue a joint declaration on 26 June. This will be the third time the two nations have issued a joint declaration following the golden jubilee of Dhaka-Beijing relations.

Bangladeshi officials state that during the Prime Minister's upcoming visit to China, more than 12 agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) will be signed. Discussions will focus on Chinese financing and cooperation across projects in various sectors. However, the decision to issue a joint declaration makes it evident that this visit will place a particular emphasis on political and geostrategic partnership issues.

Notably, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will arrive in China on Monday night from the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, for a five-day visit.

Accompanying the Prime Minister on his trip to China are Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Information Minister Jahir Uddin Swapan, Water Resources Minister Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, the Prime Minister’s Financial and Planning Adviser Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, and the Prime Minister’s Adviser and Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Mahdi Amin, among others.

Following the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975, the two countries issued joint declarations in New York and later in Beijing in 2005, marking three decades of relations following a meeting between the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and China.

Now, after five decades of ties, the preparations to issue a new declaration highlight the political significance of the relationship between the two nations.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka and Beijing told Prothom Alo that during his visit to Beijing, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He will also hold bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang.

Additionally, Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, will pay a courtesy call on Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

This will be Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's first visit to China. According to diplomatic analysts, his meetings with the top three leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) during the visit send a clear message regarding the strengthening of political relations between the two countries.

According to diplomatic sources, ahead of the Prime Minister's visit, an MoU between the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Communist Party of China (CPC) has been finalised for signing.

Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC, will pay a courtesy call on the Bangladeshi Prime Minister. Furthermore, Tarique Rahman will visit the CPC Museum.

Officials involved in preparing for the Prime Minister’s visit have stated that during this trip, Bangladesh is expected to announce its alignment with the GDI (Global Development Initiative), which is one of the four recent foreign policy initiatives of the Chinese President.

Focusing on development, Xi Jinping announced the GDI in 2021 to foster cooperation through sustainable development and growth. For five years, China has been requesting Bangladesh to join this initiative. An MoU regarding Bangladesh's involvement in the GDI has been finalised for signing.

Once signed, this will mark Bangladesh’s inclusion in a major global initiative by China after nearly 10 years. Previously, in October 2016, during President Xi Jinping’s visit to Dhaka, Bangladesh joined Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). An MoU on cooperation between the two countries under the BRI was signed during that visit.

Mohammad Sufiur Rahman, a former Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to Geneva and a senior research fellow at the South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance at North South University, told Prothom Alo that in the past, cooperation with China was largely project-driven.

According to him, friendship cannot progress solely through financial cooperation; it advances on the foundation of deep engagement in the political sphere.

The proposed meetings during the Prime Minister’s visit hint at deep political engagement, he argued.

According to diplomatic and geopolitical analysts, the Prime Minister's current visit will add a new dimension to relations, surpassing any previous period. In particular, the geopolitical competition between China, India, and the United States is no secret. Consequently, it is crucial for Bangladesh to maintain a three-way balance while safeguarding national interests.

About a month ago, preparations for the Prime Minister's visit were being made for the schedule of 23 to 26 June. Ultimately, the Prime Minister's China visit is now taking place from 22 to 26 June.

The Prime Minister will have a busy schedule in Dalian throughout the day on 23 June and until lunch on 24 June. He will stay there to attend the Annual Meeting of the New Champions of the World Economic Forum (WEF), popularly known as 'Summer Davos'.

On 23 June, Alois Zwinggi, President of the World Economic Forum, will pay a courtesy call on the Prime Minister. In the afternoon, he will participate in a discussion on climate change. In the evening, the Prime Minister will attend a dinner hosted by the Chinese Premier in honour of the Summer Davos guests.

The following day, 24 June, he will attend the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. On the afternoon of that day, he will leave Dalian for Beijing.

The Prime Minister's Beijing visit schedule will commence on the morning of 25 June with his participation in the Bangladesh Investment Forum. Later, top officials from leading Chinese business enterprises, including Chery Group, Handa Group, and ChinaTax Corporation, will meet separately with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister.

Following this, Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC, Chen Xiaodong, Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and Chen Huaiyu, Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank), will pay courtesy calls on the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

On the afternoon of that day, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will hold bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People. Following the meeting, agreements, MoU, and protocols will be signed in the presence of both leaders.

Afterwards, Tarique Rahman will attend a dinner hosted by the Chinese Premier in honour of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister will begin the second day of his Beijing visit by paying respects at the Monument to the People's Heroes. Later, Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China, will pay a courtesy call on him at the Great Hall of the People.

He will then hold a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Following the meeting, he will visit the Museum of the Communist Party of China. In the afternoon of that day, the Prime Minister, along with his entourage, will depart Beijing for Dhaka.

According to diplomatic sources, following delegation-level talks, more than 15 documents, including agreements, MoUs, and protocols, have been finalised for signing in the presence of the Prime Ministers of both countries.

The three agreements prepared for signing concern development cooperation between the two countries, a framework agreement on the modernisation and renovation of Mongla Port, and cooperation regarding Chinese-language education.

The list of MoU includes the promotion of the implementation of the GDI, green energy production, geological surveys, the development of artificial intelligence, technical education, and separate cooperation agreements between the China Media Group and BTV, BSS, and Bangladesh Betar respectively, as well as cooperation between China's state-run news agency Xinhua and BSS and the Ministry of Information respectively.

Major General (retd) ANM Muniruzzaman, a security analyst and President of the Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Security Studies (BIPSS), believes that the Prime Minister's upcoming visit will add a new dimension to the strategic relationship between the two countries. In particular, Bangladesh is joining the GDI and is seeking China's support to join BRICS, SCO, and RCEP.

Cooperation in many bilateral areas is expanding more than before, which will open the doors to large-scale investments, he added.