Bangladesh-China Bilateral Cooperation: Recent Trends and Future

Journal of the Indian Ocean Region, 2021

The paper asserts that Bangladesh survives and thrives not only the global level power rivalry but also the interests of both China and India, especially in maintaining their presence and influence in South Asia and its adjacent regions. Bangladesh enjoys friendly and robust relations with two competing global powers in its geopolitical vicinity, India, and China. While Bangladesh has excellent bilateral ties with India and China, the bilateral relations of China and India suffer from tensions and mistrust. A growing literature on Sino-Indian relations has already pointed out their relations as ‘rivalry.’ In this context, the paper dwells on the key questions: What implications does the Sino-Indian rivalry bring about for Bangladesh? How is Bangladesh responding to those implications that Sino-Indian rivalry brings? How is Bangladesh shifting its strategic contours of relations with India and China towards a more cooperative framework? The paper argues that these questions are critical for understanding Bangladesh’s pursuit of adjusting to the emerging geopolitical environment marked by growing Sino-Indian rivalry .

South Asian Voice, Stimson Center, Washington D.C., 2017

Despite early difficulties in China-Bangladesh relations, Dhaka has successfully leveraged Beijing’s growing interest in South Asia to its benefit. Though it backed its longstanding partner, Pakistan, in Bangladesh’s war for independence in 1971 and subsequently withheld diplomatic recognition of Bangladesh until 1975, Beijing now enjoys a favorable relationship with Dhaka that has widespread political and public support in Bangladesh. Since 1975, China has maintained a “non-interference policy” in Bangladeshi political affairs. This policy, combined with generous economic assistance, has led to generally amicable bilateral relations between the two countries.

International Journal of Social, Political and Economic Research, 2018

Abstract: By the help and complete support of India, East Pakistan became Bangladesh 1971. The birth history of Bangladesh is very much connected with India. There were so many treaties between this two neighbouring nation. We may say that good relation at the maximum stage. Since 1971, India was the number one trading partner of Bangladesh. However, China’s trade with Bangladesh has increased diverse in current years to exceed India from 2001 onwards. This relation with China has established by late president Ziaur Rahman after the assassination of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. And it comes in a bigger picture from 1991-1996. At that time the government of Bangladesh has taken the look east policy by the leadership of Prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia. After 1996, the first regime of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina shifted from look east policy to strengthen friendship with India. In between policy changes happened for regime-changing in the time of BNP-Jamaat Government from 2001 to 2006. But the major changes took place in a recent year. The Awame league government is giving more importance to have strong economic and political relations with China from 2011. This article inspects the numerous influences that have donated to China’s increasing presence in Bangladesh as compared to India’s decline with related to trade and investment. India has noticeably lost out to China in many important industries. While studying and evaluating recent developments, the study also presents a strategy to counter India’s declining economic influence in Bangladesh.

Xi Jinping literally is dominating over one-fifth of world population. In the human history he is dominating the largest number of human kind in a single time over 140 crore people, so his importance is imaginable through this easily. After he coming into power China has gone so far, his new initiatives proved the importance of China in the whole world once again. In this paper i discussed his policies briefly and tried to give an overview of Bangladesh China relations in his time.

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Bangladesh today is fast emerging as a vibrant economy with significant advancements taking place especially in its development sector. It has a huge labour force, a potential market, and a very significant geo-strategic location in between the three major economies, viz. India, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. This has attracted countries around the world and especially in the region, including China, to take keen interest in Bangladesh. China also has been regarded as a plausible regional partner and a “time-tested, all-weather” friend by Bangladesh with whom bilateral relationship has been clear of the contingencies of changing political regimes. Likewise, China even considers a well-developed Bangladesh an “asset” for her with a potential to prosper as a vibrant economy. The growing Sino-Bangladesh synergy should be understood in light of the major cooperative measures undertaken in sectors like trade, investment and infrastructural development, defence, energy, culture and environment between the two countries. But, whether China’s increasing clout in Bangladesh is seemingly an ‘entente’ having major socio-economic and geo-strategic implications is a matter to carefully ponder upon. While China strives to realise, it’s so called, “Chinese Dream” —it will be judicious to assess whether Sino-Bangladesh interests converge to affect India’s position in a negative way. The following section will try to appraise whether Sino-Bangladesh ties pose an immediate and impending threat upon India.

Journal of Asia Social Science, Volume 1, Number 3, 2020

Bangladesh remains a strategic partner of China in the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI). These two countries have been involved in closer economic and security cooperation over the last few decades, whereas BRI provides a new impetus to amplify their existing bilateral relationship. Bangladesh's physical location is an integral part of BCIM overland connectivity, whereas the country's sea area falls into the Maritime Silk Route of BRI. In this regard, Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Dhaka in October 2016 and Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to Beijing in June 2019 brought about a series of bilateral agreements on diverse areas associated to BRI, including the mega projects of the construction of Padma Bridge and the multi-lane road tunnel under the river Karnaphuli in Bangladesh. Hence, the grand initiative of BRI provides a key opportunity for both China and Bangladesh to jointly pursue the course of their individual national developments. In such a context, this study aims to analyze the contemporary developments of China-Bangladesh bilateral relationship under BRI in the light of neo-liberal theory of international relations.

Date of Submition-05.12.2014 Economic and Bilateral Co-operation between Bangladesh and China Historically, Bangladesh and China shares a rich history of trade and cultural exchange. In the post war era, China's premier ZHOU ENLAI visited East Pakistan several times and the party had close ties with Bengali nationalist leaders. Bangladesh and China are time trusted friends since the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971. Though China supported Pakistan during the liberation war but after the independence of Bangladesh, the diplomatic relations between two countries was established in order to develop economic cooperation as well as strengthen the bilateral relations. As time passes the economic cooperation between the two countries has grown up. As we can see since the past decades till now they are working hard to promote two countries mutual cooperation in various sectors particularly to solve the imbalance problems in trade and to encourage investment to each other. In recent years the economic and trade ties between China and Bangladesh have considerably developed with gradual expansion in cooperation fields. According to the statistics department of the Bangladesh Bank the bilateral trade volume between two nations in 2012-2013 Fiscal Year amounted to U$11.3486 billion, including an export of U$458.118 million and an import of U$645.5 million.

What are the recentissues in Bangladesh-India bilateral relations? And Bangladesh is developing relations by the name of so called "Look East Policy" with Asian Giant People's Republic of China.This paper is an effort to investigate these topics. It argues that there are a number of interconnected issues that determine the nature of Bangladesh India relations. In this perspective, trade, border killing, border dispute, smuggling, water dispute, security, power, connectivity remain as vital issues. It is the age of shared peace, security and prosperity between Bangladesh and India but India is not concern about it. To avoid Indian dominating trend, Bangladesh is strengthening "Look East Policy" to explore and utilize untapped potentialities.

国際協力研究誌, 2005

Foreign Policy formulation of small states is a difficult process; it has become more difficult in the contemporary world situation. Bangladesh belongs to the category of small states in terms of its size, population, natural resources, state of economy, and military capability. Its "smallness" is reflected in the foreign policy decisions since its advent as an independent state. As the international system is the combination of small, medium, large, and super powers, these actors impact upon the system in proportion to their capability. Though sovereign equality as a norm of interstate conduct has got a space in UN Charter, but in real world some states are more equal than others. For obvious reason Bangladesh behaves differently from the economically and militarily stronger countries in pursuit of its foreign policy objectives. The foreign policy objectives identified just after the independence of Bangladesh have been pursued by the successive governments without any fundamental alteration. However, priorities in foreign relations were different as ideology of ruling party and regional and international situations were different in different times. Like other states the foreign policy formulation in Bangladesh is done on the interpretation of national interest by the regime in power. Immediately after independence some goals were fixed in foreign policy that appeared to be more idealistic than practical. 1 They were not achievable because of the regional and international situation and the weak capability of the state to influence them. In its foreign policy application Bangladesh has some target areas that include South Asia, Muslim world, West Europe, the United States, Japan and China. Other than these states the international and regional institutions like the UN, NAM, Commonwealth, SAARC and the OIC are considered important in Bangladesh foreign policy. However, in last couple of years Bangladesh foreign policy establishment has given Southeast and East Asia special considerations in the context of changes in regional and international situations. Bangladesh's location as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia is regarded as the basis of its new policy thrust. Beginning in December 2002 Bangladesh foreign relations have taken a new turn with the bilateral visits at the highest political level between Bangladesh, Thailand, China and Myanmar. 2 From Bangladesh side these visits signified the emphasis on diplomatic and economic ties with the countries in East and Southeast Asia compared with traditional links with India and other SAARC countries. In the words of its Prime Minister Bangladesh wanted to strengthen relations with these countries from which the country and the people would derive more benefits. Consequent to new diplomacy some political and official level visits had taken place between Bangladesh, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam in 2004. 3 Some more have been planned for 2005. 4

Newspaper Op Ed in Modern Diplomacy, 2019

Bangladesh‘s China India relationship balancing is now has become a great challenge for Bangladesh's foreign policy. Bangladesh gained its independence in 1971. The Bangladesh-India relationship has been running since the birth of Bangladesh. But, In 1975, Bangladesh and China‘s good relations made little shaking for India. Recently, China has been Bangladesh's trading and strategic partner. On the other hand, India is losing the attraction of the Bangladeshi market. The Bangladesh foreign minister has suggested free trade with China but still, now it has no implementation. This study examines the strategic hedging of Bangladesh towards India and China. How Bangladesh maintains a balanced relationship between two emerging powers of world politics. Bangladesh is challenged for its geographical location to India as well as she utilizes her location for getting big power's favor.

The Chinese president Xi Jinping addressed a high-level symposium on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Beijing on the 19 th November of 2021. While addressing on the symposium, president Xi asserted that the BRI should aim for high-standard, sustainable and people-centered progress. China has signed cooperation documents on jointly building the Belt and Road with 140 countries and 32 international organization, as the BRI was proposed by president Xi in 2013. Bangladesh is one of the most important members of the BRI. The pertinent questions are: Why does China make such advocacy arrangements at the present moment? What are the main aspects of the new developments of the BRI? How could the new developments influence the BRI? What are the implications of the BRI for Bangladesh? Some believe that the BRI will dramatically expand Beijing's influence in the world, particularly in China's neighborhoods. Others feel the BRI will be hindered by many insurmountable challenges and its failure is almost guaranteed. Bangladesh and China established official diplomatic relations in the 1970s. Since then, the bilateral relations have grown stronger significantly over the years. China is today more deeply involved in Bangladesh than it has ever been.

Journal of Bangladesh and Global Affairs, 2022

Bangladesh's geographical location between South and Southeast Asia gives it a unique potential to act as a crossroad between the two parts of the Asian continent. As a result, Bangladesh may be able to construct a free trade zone, which would need closer links between Bangladesh and all SAARC, BIMSTEC and ASEAN countries. Bangladesh is also attempting to retain its socioeconomic standing, conducive to a seamless transition to middle-income countries, through participating in regional efforts and bilateral engagement with SAARC, BIMSTEC and ASEAN countries. Even if Bangladesh's business contacts with SAARC countries have increased in recent years, trade relations with ASEAN countries have favored them principally. Furthermore, most SAARC nations have not eliminated non-tariff trade barriers. Additionally, the lengthy processes of establishing free trade agreements with ASEAN countries, becoming an ASEAN Secretarial Dialogue Partner, and complex relations with Myanmar over the Rohingya repatriation crisis can all be considered barriers to Bangladesh's ambition of becoming a bridge between two Asias.

China-India Brief, Centre on Asia and Globalisation, 2022

At the height of the Cold War in 1981, Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere quoted an African proverb at the Commonwealth conference: “When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers”, which was recently echoed by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who added that, “when they make love, the grass suffers also”. However, this conventional wisdom seems flawed in the case of the China-India rivalry for regional influence in Bangladesh. Instead of losing—Bangladesh boasting South Asia’s second-largest economy—is reaping the benefits so far.

Outlines of global transformations: politics, economics, law, 2025

Bangladesh serves as a vital nexus between South and Southeast Asia, holding considerable strategic importance for all major regional and global players. This article aims to analyze Bangladesh’s future within the context of complex regional dynamics and its foreign policy responses. The author investigates how the rising geopolitical competition and rivalries among major powers, along with their significant impacts on Bangladesh, generate notable challenges for the nation. To understand Dhaka’s strategies towards these po- wers, the study has involved a detailed review of recent scholarly literature, fieldwork, and in-depth interviews. The analysis posits that Bangladesh adopts a moderate foreign policy to sustain hedging relations with all key regional and extra-regional powers. Nevertheless, Dhaka’s capacity to implement its foreign policies effectively is hampered by its inability to establish leverage over dominant powers. The article concludes that the influences of key powers in Bangladesh’s political landscape could lead the country to align with a specific power bloc or maintain neutrality in the near future, contingent upon the evolving regional and global political dynamics. Thus, the study suggests that by devising its short and long-term plans and strategies, Bangladesh can create leverage and remain on the right track without falling into the trap of geopolitics.