China Bangladesh Photo: VCG

Tarique Rahman, Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, will pay an official visit to China from Wednesday to Friday. This will be his first visit to China since taking office, and he will also attend the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian. The packed and substantive itinerary reflects the high importance the new Bangladeshi government places on developing relations with China. According to Bangladeshi media reports, China and Bangladesh will sign a series of cooperation agreements, fully demonstrating the deep foundation of political mutual trust and the huge potential for cooperation between the two countries.

Since the country's political transition in 2024, Bangladesh's economy has faced multiple challenges stemming from domestic political uncertainty and the spillover effects of external regional conflicts. Maintaining financial stability, creating job opportunities, promoting industrial diversification, and addressing shortcomings in energy infrastructure are all pressing priorities for the country. China has remained Bangladesh's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with nearly 1,000 Chinese enterprises operating in the country and creating a cumulative total of several hundred thousand jobs. Since December 1, 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for Bangladesh, significantly boosting the latter country's agricultural exports to the former. Consequently, Bangladeshi media reported that the focus of Tarique's visit is on attracting foreign investment, infrastructure cooperation, trade facilitation, and strategic dialogue.

This also serves as a microcosm of the deepening cooperation between China and its neighboring countries. Just this month, Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing paid a state visit to China, touring Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou, during which the two countries issued a joint statement on accelerating the building of a China-Myanmar community with a shared future. Last month, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to China, and the leaders of both countries agreed to make solid progress in implementing the Action Plan to Foster an Even Closer China-Pakistan Community with a Shared Future in the New Era.

In addition, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon and Brunei's Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah visited China in succession, advancing cooperation in areas such as energy and the digital economy. In April, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and Vietnamese President To Lam visited China, during which the two sides reached a series of understandings on cross-border economic cooperation zones, energy and mineral resources, and digital industries. 

At the upcoming Summer Davos Forum in Dalian, leaders from neighboring countries will also gather in China. This wave of high-level visits vividly demonstrates the strong desire of many countries to seize opportunities arising from China's development. The visit by the Bangladeshi prime minister is part of this broader trend.

China's development of relations with Bangladesh and other South Asian countries is not directed against any third party, nor should it be influenced by any third party. This has always been China's consistent stance and policy position. However, we have noticed that some Indian media outlets appear dissatisfied with the fact that the Bangladeshi leader's first overseas visit neglected India. Some Indian commentators claimed that Tarique is set to visit China on his first trip abroad since assuming office, "bypassing neighboring India as his inaugural destination," and expressed disappointment that Bangladesh did not prioritize developing its relationship with India. Others have warned that China-Bangladesh cooperation on water management "is particularly sensitive for New Delhi." Behind these sour remarks lies a "big brother" mentality held by some Indians, who regard a neighboring leader's first foreign visit as a gesture of deference owed to a regional patron and interpret other countries' independent diplomatic choices as an affront to themselves.

In fact, China attaches great importance to its relationship with Bangladesh, while it is also willing to develop practical cooperation with India. China and India should be friends and good neighbors and partners that help each other succeed, achieving what is often described as the "Dragon-Elephant Tango." At the same time, China welcomes efforts by India and Bangladesh to improve and strengthen their bilateral ties. These relationships are not mutually exclusive; rather, they can be mutually reinforcing. South Asia is fully capable of developing a regional cooperation framework that delivers benefits to all parties.

China remains committed to open regionalism. Whether in China-India economic and trade cooperation, the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor initiative, or the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, these frameworks are clearly not directed against any third party and are fully open to mutually beneficial multilateral cooperation in the region. Take cooperation on the Teesta River project as an example. India and Bangladesh are upstream and downstream riparian countries, while China and Bangladesh have long maintained cooperation on water resources. China has also long cooperated with India on matters, such as cross-border river hydrological monitoring and flood reporting. This demonstrates the considerable potential for trilateral cooperation in this area.

Today, cooperation among Global South countries in pursuit of development has become an unmistakable trend. The shared priorities of South Asian nations are improving livelihoods, advancing modernization, and strengthening regional connectivity. China remains committed to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and to the principle that all countries, regardless of size, are equal. It stands ready to pursue mutually beneficial cooperation with all South Asian countries. As China steadily advances its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30), the benefits of its development will increasingly extend to neighboring countries. We believe that the skies over South Asia are vast enough to accommodate deeper practical cooperation among all countries and to support a future of shared prosperity and win-win development.