Exploring economic cooperation, attracting Chinese investment, Yunus sets off for visit to China to strengthen Bangladesh China relations

According to a report by Bangladesh's Shuguang Daily on the 26th, Yunus, the Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, departed for China on the same day for a 4-day official visit. According to reports, he will give a speech at the Boao Forum for Asia 2025 Annual Conference and meet with Chinese leaders in Beijing.

Yunus stated in a speech to the nation before his departure that this visit will strengthen the relationship between Bangladesh and China. According to the Financial Express of Bangladesh on the 26th, Foreign Secretary Jassim Uddin stated that the Chief Advisor will discuss bilateral strategic issues with Chinese leaders, promote trade and investment, cooperate in agriculture, infrastructure, renewable energy, and other areas of common concern between the two countries. Jassim Uddin said, "Bangladesh has good diplomatic relations with China, and this relationship continues to deepen. This year, the two countries also held relevant activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations

Since the interim government of Bangladesh took office in August last year, there have been multiple contacts between China and Bangladesh. Qian Feng, a researcher at the National Institute for Strategic Studies at Tsinghua University, stated in an interview with Global Times on the 26th that the interim government has clearly stated its intention to maintain a balanced relationship with other countries. The first country visited by its diplomatic advisor, Tu Xide, is China, which clearly demonstrates the interim government's willingness to continue traditional friendship and further develop bilateral cooperation on the basis of good relations between China and Bangladesh. This is also a concentrated manifestation of the "balanced and pragmatic, economic priority" foreign policy of the interim government of Bangladesh.

Yunus' visit to China focuses on strengthening economic ties with China, "said the Bangladesh Business Standards newspaper. Yunus made it clear before his departure that he would take advantage of the opportunity to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference to communicate with governments, business communities, and other individuals from various countries, hoping to attract Chinese companies to invest and set up factories in Bangladesh. The New Era newspaper of Bangladesh stated that Bangladesh is promoting the development of "Industry 2.0", and cooperation with China is crucial for the development of Bangladesh's manufacturing industry and the creation of more job opportunities. The Financial Express revealed that Bangladesh and China will sign multiple agreements and memorandums of understanding, which may involve areas such as human resources development and economic and technological assistance.

The Hindustan Times reported that the background of this diplomatic activity is the tense diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and India. According to reports, since August last year when the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Hasina, went to India to seek asylum, the interim government of Bangladesh has been requesting that India send Hasina back to Bangladesh, but has not received a response, and Yunus has not visited India yet. At the same time, China has been strengthening its relationship with Bangladesh.

Qian Feng said that Indian media is very wary of Bangladesh's development cooperation with other major countries, and from the perspective of geopolitical games, they view China Bangladesh exchanges with colored glasses. In fact, China never interferes in the internal affairs of other countries and respects their independent choices. The China Bangladesh relationship is built on the basis of mutual respect, equal treatment, mutual benefit and common development, which is also the fundamental reason why the relationship between the two countries is still stable today