The impending visit (July 8-11) of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to China is a momentous event that carries with it the promise of forging new paths of cooperation and unlocking vast potential for the mutual benefit of both nations.
This visit is not just a diplomatic courtesy but a strategic imperative that holds the key to shaping a prosperous future and fulfilling the deeply held expectations of the people of both Bangladesh and China. This visit will inject vibrant impetus into bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields and promote new achievements in the Strategic Partnership of Cooperation between China and Bangladesh.
Bangladesh and China have enjoyed a well-shaped relationship rooted deep in history. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, China and Bangladesh maintained remarkable diplomatic relations as neighbouring countries.
Since the beginning of the diplomatic relations between these two countries in 1975, the endless efforts of both countries have brought Bangladesh and China closer. As a result, China is the most trusted friend of Bangladesh, and both countries share a progressive, affluent economic relationship.
Both countries have settled to increase economic ties to give more importance to bilateral trade, investment, joint ventures, rail and road connectivity, and cultural exchange than in the past.
Bangladesh-China relations have reached a new height with the beginning of the twenty-first century, have become trustworthy friends of each other, and are committed to ensuring a mutually beneficial future for both. These efforts were visible in the 2005, 2010, 2014, and 2016 joint statements.
China is Bangladesh's largest trading partner and the second-largest source of foreign investment. The nearly 49 years of diplomatic relations between the two states have resulted in countless trade and investments, supported each other on core issues, and collaborated to advance modernisation, which remains memorable in history.
China's economic and trade cooperation with Bangladesh comes with no political strings attached nor demands for special privileges. Over the past decade, Bangladesh has achieved more practical results in infrastructure, digital economy, clean energy, agriculture, education, healthcare, culture, and people-to-people exchanges.
Significant results have been achieved over the past eight years since Bangladesh joined the Belt and Road Initiative. Bangladesh has largely appreciated the bilateral unity and never stepped back from planning similar steps for the future.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the nation's founding father, had close ties with China throughout his political career. In 1952, he journeyed to China to attend an international conference. During the visit, he encountered Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai, the esteemed figures of the Chinese Revolution.
He was deeply amazed by the modernisation and progress of China.
Following Bangladesh's independence, the process of establishing diplomatic relations with China, led by Bangabandhu, commenced after successfully overcoming numerous challenges.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has demonstrated her exceptional leadership skills by spearheading the remarkable progress of Bangladesh in recent years, following the legacy of her father, Bangabandhu.
With the prime minister's proactive leadership, Bangladesh is prepared to advance alongside China as a reliable friend in the future. Currently, the relations between the two countries have reached an unprecedented level. China has become a significant development collaborator of Bangladesh in recent years.
The upcoming visit of the prime minister of Bangladesh to China is undoubtedly an essential milestone in developing bilateral relations. It carries countless hopes and aspirations, and indicates that a new chapter of cooperation between the two sides is about to begin.
During a regular press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning emphasised the robust and cooperative relationship between Bangladesh and China, describing Bangladesh as a good neighbour, friend, and partner with well-aligned development strategies.
She noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s upcoming visit aims to further these efforts.
China stands ready to work with Bangladesh through this visit to carry forward the spirit of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, deepen political mutual trust, further synergise development strategies, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, speed up the implementation the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilisation Initiative, and elevate our bilateral relations to a new level.
Economically, the implications of Hasina's visit are profound. China-Bangladesh cooperation has great potential. As the world's second-largest economy and manufacturing power, China has advanced technology, rich experience, and a vast market.
Bangladesh, with its abundant labour resources and continuously optimised investment environment, is attracting more and more attention. Trade relations between the two countries have steadily grown, but there is vast untapped potential.
Prime Minister Hasina's visit is expected to further promote the growth of bilateral trade. Bangladesh could export more textiles, agricultural products, and handicrafts to the vast Chinese market.
At the same time, Chinese investments in Bangladesh's manufacturing sector could bring in advanced technologies and management expertise, helping upgrade local industries and increase their competitiveness in the global marketplace.
Infrastructure construction has always been the focus of Bangladesh's development and one of the highlights of China-Bangladesh cooperation. China's achievements in infrastructure fields such as transportation, energy, and communications have attracted worldwide attention, and it has strong technical strength and project implementation capabilities.
During Prime Minister Hasina's visit to China, the two sides are expected to reach new cooperation intentions on infrastructure projects. It may include the construction of new roads and railways, the expansion of ports, and the improvement of energy supply capacity.
Implementing these projects will significantly improve Bangladesh's infrastructure conditions and lay a solid foundation for economic development.
This visit also emphasises the importance of education, scientific, and technological cooperation.
China has experienced remarkable development in the sphere of education, with a continuous improvement in the quality of higher education and a significant enhancement in its scientific research and innovation capacity.
Bangladesh has an urgent need for high-quality educational resources and advanced technology. In the field of education, scholarships and joint research projects can be increased, promoting the exchange of knowledge and ideas. By strengthening educational exchanges, the two sides can increase the number of student exchanges and carry out joint school-running and scientific research cooperation projects.
This will help cultivate professional talents in Bangladesh and provide talent support for the two countries' scientific and technological innovation cooperation.
Cultural exchanges are a bridge to promote people-to-people exchanges. Both China and Bangladesh have a long history and splendid cultural traditions. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to China will provide a new opportunity for cultural exchanges.
The two sides can hold more cultural activities, such as art exhibitions, art performances, cultural festivals, etc, so that the people of the two countries can better understand each other's cultural charm.
At the same time, tourism cooperation is also expected to be further strengthened. Chinese tourists can go to Bangladesh to experience its unique natural scenery and cultural landscape, and Bangladeshi tourists can also come to China to appreciate the profound Chinese culture.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to China is full of hope and opportunities. We believe that through this visit, China and Bangladesh will achieve more fruitful results in cooperation in various fields, bring more benefits to the people of the two countries, jointly write a new chapter of friendly cooperation, look forward to a brighter future, and meet the eager expectations of both sides for development and prosperity.
The author is a Doctoral Candidate in the School of International Trade and Economics at the Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics in China
