Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and minister of local government, rural development and cooperatives, talks with the Global Times on April 21, 2026. Photo: Chen Qingqing/GT

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on Tuesday met in Beijing with a high-ranking cadre delegation of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, secretary-general of the Party and minister of local government, rural development and cooperatives, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Noting that China and Bangladesh are friendly neighbors with mutual understanding and deep ties, Han said China congratulates Bangladesh on the smooth and successful conclusion of its general election and stands ready to work with Bangladesh, guided by the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen cooperation in areas such as jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, and advance the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, per Xinhua. 

Alamgir said China is a trustworthy friend and partner of Bangladesh. The new government will adhere to the one-China principle and the tradition of friendship with China, and looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields with China to elevate Bangladesh-China relations to a new level, he added.

In an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Tuesday, Alamgir, who is also the secretary general of the BNP, said that the itinerary had enabled the delegation to understand China's development path and social landscape from multiple perspectives. He noted that progress in the fields of science and technology - particularly in areas such as robotics and intelligent manufacturing - has been especially impressive and left a deep impression on the delegation.

Talking about the role China is playing in the new Bangladeshi government's diplomatic strategy, Alamgir said that China has long been a trusted friend of Bangladesh.

Bangladesh held a general election on February 12, where the BNP won the majority. The BNP parliamentary party elected Tarique Rahman as its leader following the party's victory in the national parliament election, who was sworn in as the new prime minister of Bangladesh on February 17 along with new cabinet ministers, per Xinhua. 

The visit marks the first high-level exchange between the Communist Party of China and the BNP since the new Bangladeshi government was sworn in. The delegation, in addition to meeting with Chinese officials, also visited manufacturing enterprises, rural grassroots communities and a robotics exhibition hall, the Global Times learned from the delegation.

The delegation began its visit on April 15, with its first stop in East China's Anhui Province, where delegates visited a local community, Chinese automobile JAC Motors and the University of Science and Technology. After schedules in Beijing, the delegation is set to visit the tech hub of Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, the Global Times learned.

Having visited China several times since 1994 and been impressed by China's development achievement, Alamgir said that the technological progress China has achieved through sustained effort and perseverance is remarkable across many sectors, particularly energy, high-tech industries and aerospace.  

Through the visit, the delegates from various sectors of Bangladesh can see firsthand the country's development journey, Alamgir said. "We have seen robot-assisted surgery and other innovations." 

Noting that the cooperation between China and Bangladesh spans multiple areas, including the economy and defense, Alamgir expects this visit to pave way for further high-level exchanges and more concrete cooperation. 

Alamgir pointed out that the new Bangladeshi government is seeking to attract Chinese investment, particularly in key sectors such as power and energy, communications and agriculture. China's experience in technological development, such as establishing technological institutes, training centers and related facilities, will also be helpful for Bangladesh to develop its own skilled workforce, Alamgir noted. 

Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Liu Bin said during a reception commemorating Bangladesh's Independence & National Day held by the Bangladeshi embassy in Beijing on March 26, that China has always placed Bangladesh in an important position in its neighborhood diplomacy, and remains committed to developing good-neighborly and friendly relations with Bangladesh on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence.

China congratulates Bangladesh on the smooth and successful completion of its general election, and is willing to strengthen strategic alignment with the new Bangladeshi government, advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhance coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, and promote greater progress in bilateral relations across all fields, Liu said.