Tarique Rahman's China visit to shape next phase of Bangladesh ties

Beijing,UPDATED: Jun 22, 2026 18:50 IST

China on Monday said Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit would help shape the next phase of ties between the two countries, as he is set to hold talks with President Xi Jinping and other senior Chinese leaders.

Rahman is due to begin his China visit from June 24 to 26 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang. Before the official visit, he will attend the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, organised by the World Economic Forum in Dalian from June 23 to 24.

Rahman, who chose Malaysia for his first visit abroad, will arrive in the Chinese city of Dalian from Malaysia on Monday evening to start the visit. This will be his first visit to China after taking office. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a media briefing in Beijing that Xi, Li and other leaders will meet Rahman during the trip. "The leaders will chart the future course of bilateral ties," Guo said.

Guo said China and Bangladesh are traditional friends, neighbours and comprehensive strategic cooperative partners. "Through the visit, China looks forward to working with the new government of Bangladesh to enhance strategic communication, carry forward the traditional friendship, advance high-quality BRI cooperation, expand exchanges and cooperation in various areas, and enhance coordination on multilateral affairs to bring the China-Bangladesh comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation to a new level," he said.

Ahead of the visit, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said Rahman's talks in China would focus on trade, investment, development cooperation, infrastructure, energy security, the digital economy and regional connectivity. Referring to the priorities in the discussions with Chinese leaders, he said, "Expansion of Chinese investment, accelerated implementation of ongoing projects and measures to narrow Bangladesh's trade gap with China would receive priority in the discussions," according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.

China has expanded its influence in Bangladesh over the years through major investments, and Bangladeshi leaders have regularly travelled to Beijing to strengthen ties. Former prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited Beijing in 2024 and held talks with Xi and other leaders weeks before her government was overthrown in civic riots, after which she fled to India. Later, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus, who succeeded Hasina, visited Beijing in March 2025, held talks with Xi and sought closer ties with China through various agreements.

Rahman's visit, which combines participation in the Dalian forum and meetings with the Chinese leadership, is expected to focus on trade, investment and connectivity while setting the course for the next stage of China-Bangladesh relations.

With PTI Inputs

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