‘Dhaka-Beijing defence ties part of broader strategic engagement’

Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen on Thursday described Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s just-concluded visit to China as a “complete success”, saying it had elevated Bangladesh-China ties to a new strategic level and injected fresh momentum into cooperation, including in defence.

“It’s a complete success. It’s a milestone in Bangladesh-China relations which reached a new strategic height,” Yao told reporters at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.

He said the visit had fostered a new level of mutual trust and highlighted the proposed Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor as a major opportunity for regional connectivity and economic cooperation.

Responding to a question, the ambassador said the concept of a regional economic corridor was not new, recalling that discussions on the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor had begun 15 years ago but made little progress.

“China is determined to build the Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor,” he said, adding that Beijing remained open to India and other countries joining the initiative if they chose to do so.

On the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), Yao stressed that the project belonged to Bangladesh and was crucial for the livelihoods of millions of people.

“Teesta is a Bangladesh project. It’s your project,” he said.

Highlighting the visit’s diplomatic outcomes, Yao said both countries agreed to launch a strategic dialogue at the foreign minister level and explore a “2+2” dialogue mechanism involving their foreign and defence ministers.

Describing defence ties as part of the wider bilateral relationship, he said Bangladesh-China cooperation was “comprehensive”, but declined to comment on any specific defence procurement.

Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman had earlier said Bangladesh’s relations with China had been upgraded from a “Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership” to a “Bangladesh-China Community with a Shared Future” – the highest level of bilateral engagement with Beijing.

Bangladesh and China signed 17 bilateral instruments during the visit, including agreements, memoranda of understanding and a joint action plan covering development cooperation, trade, investment, education, media, port development, water resources management and green development. 

The two countries also agreed to accelerate the Mongla Port modernisation project, the Chattogram Economic Industrial Zone, the Teesta project’s feasibility study, and cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative.