Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is paying an official visit to China from Wednesday to Friday.

Marking the 51st anniversary of diplomatic ties, China-Bangladesh relations are witnessing an important transformation. The partnership started off as an economic relationship, it is now a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. 

In Bangladesh, China is regarded as one of the most geopolitically powerful countries in the region. Bangladesh's foreign policy has always been balanced and pragmatic. Dhaka aspires to have constructive relationships with all the major powers, and aims to bring the relationship with Beijing to a new level.

The Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project is one of the most closely monitored issues. The Teesta is a lifeline for millions of people in the north of Bangladesh, and the long-standing dispute over the sharing of water with India has yet to be resolved. The Chinese involvement in the project may be able to offer Bangladesh technical and financial assistance in water management, flood control and agricultural development. 

The Rohingya crisis is another key aspect. There are still over 1 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh who fled Myanmar. The extended duration of the crisis has caused a lot of economic, social and security pressures. Dhaka looks to Beijing for support to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the region and work to address the Rohingya issue.

One of the most important aspects of the bilateral relationship is security cooperation. China has become one of Bangladesh's principal defense suppliers, providing military equipment across multiple domains, including aircraft, naval platforms, armored vehicles, missile systems, and training support. 

Partnership at sea is becoming more and more essential. The modernization at Mongla Port, along with the Chinese loans for Bangladesh's Shipping Corporation's vessels, enhances Bangladesh's shipping logistics. These developments enable trade and enhance connectivity and Bangladesh's ability to tap the benefits of its blue economy. The Bay of Bengal is emerging as one of the key strategic flashpoints for economic, energy and security interests. 

The economic aspect still underlies the bilateral relationship. China is the country's top trade partner as well as one of its most important foreign investors. Over $10 billion has been spent on major infrastructure initiatives, such as power plants, bridges, industrial areas and transport systems.

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)-related projects have been the top priority in Bangladesh's development agenda. The investments have helped to improve connectivity and industrial capacity. Meanwhile, both governments are seeking to move beyond project cooperation, and have plans for a Free Trade Agreement or a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. 

As far as the Global Development Initiative and BRI are concerned, Dhaka is gradually moving closer to Beijing's vision of regional and global economic cooperation.

These activities provide financing, technology and development partnerships to Bangladesh. They can be helpful for China as well in boosting economic links and political soft power in the Global South. Perhaps one of the least-known areas, where the evolving interaction is least known, is the area of soft power cooperation. 

Increasingly, China is investing in Bangladesh's social infrastructure, most notably in health and education, and Bangladesh is expecting more investment in these fields.

The benefits of improvements in the healthcare infrastructure can be long-term and developmental, impacting far beyond economic measures.

The educational exchanges are also very well established. Many Bangladeshi students are studying in Chinese universities. These exchanges are bringing forth a new generation of professionals who have firsthand experience with Chinese technology, business models and research institutions.

Beijing sees an economic opportunity in Bangladesh, but more than that. Bangladesh serves as a gateway to regional connectivity, sea access and regional engagement with South Asia. The question facing Dhaka is how to maximize the benefits from the Chinese partnership, while maintaining cooperative relations with other countries. 

Fifty-one years of diplomatic relations are enough to tell that China-Bangladesh relations are now in a new stage. The cooperation is slowly moving from economic toward strategic, and the transition might influence the future of the relationship in the coming decades.

The author is a professor at the Department of International Relations, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, and director of the Hong Kong Research Center for Asian Studies-Bangladesh Center. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn