Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao landed in Dhaka on Saturday for a two-day trip, leading what officials describe as the largest-ever Chinese business delegation to Bangladesh. More than 100 firms and about 250 representatives from different industries and trade chambers comprise the initiative, the Dhaka Tribune reported.
Wang will attend the Bangladesh-China Conference on Investment and Trade, which is scheduled to take place Sunday. The conference will include notable Bangladeshi personalities such as Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin and Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus, who will be the chief guest and inaugurator. Wang will visit as a special guest during the conference.
The meeting, which is hosted together by the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (Beza) and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida), seeks to further what both nations have termed a “Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.” Key areas include Chinese investment in infrastructure, logistics, and production in Bangladesh.
Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen confirmed the size of the delegation, referring to it as the “largest-ever” business delegation dispatched by Beijing to the nation.
However, the event has not been without diplomatic controversy. Prof Yunus recently stirred debate by suggesting that Bangladesh could consider allowing China access to India’s northeastern states through Bangladeshi territory. This remark drew strong reactions from India and sparked concerns about Dhaka’s geopolitical orientation.
Even in the presence of such tensions, Bangladesh has made it clear that its cooperation with China is still based on economic development and infrastructure construction and not intended to undermine its traditional relationship with India. India itself continues to be a major development partner, making significant investments in connectivity and energy sectors in Bangladesh.
Wang’s visit also coincides with what observers perceive as a turn by Bangladesh’s foreign policy after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s departure. Over the past few months, Dhaka has indicated some efforts to resume its bilateral relationship with Pakistan, such as eased diplomatic rhetoric, resumed interactions, and involvement in multilateral institutions where China and Pakistan tend to find commonality.
The Chinese Commerce Minister’s visit comes on the heels of another Chinese delegation visiting a comparable investment forum in Dhaka, underlining Beijing’s growing interests in deepening its economic presence in South Asia.