Bangladesh and China are expected to sign 15-17 bilateral instruments during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s official visit to the East Asian country, as the leaders of the two nations plan to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues and elevate their ‘Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ to a new height.
The instruments may include 13 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs), two agreements, one action plan and one protocol, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam told reporters at a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday.
There is likely to be a certain level of financial support allocated for projects in Bangladesh during the visit, a diplomatic source told UNB.
The Prime Minister will visit China from June 23 to 26 at the invitation of Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.
The bilateral instruments will be signed in the presence of the two leaders following their bilateral meeting on June 25 in Beijing.
The Prime Minister will also attend a state banquet hosted in his honour by his Chinese counterpart.
Apart from the bilateral meeting with the Chinese Premier on June 25, Prime Minister Tarique will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 26. He is scheduled to return home on Friday night.
There will be discussions on the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), the Foreign Secretary said.
Four Global Initiatives
Asked about Dhaka’s position on the four global initiatives proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, the Foreign Secretary said Bangladesh is considering the initiatives positively and that further decisions may become clear following the visit.
The Chinese President has put forward four global initiatives - the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI), Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) and Global Governance Initiative (GGI) - as responses to contemporary global challenges.
The Foreign Secretary said the size of the Prime Minister’s delegation to China has been kept relatively small, comprising 28 members. “We tried to keep it at a logical level,” he said.
He said the current government is pursuing an independent and balanced foreign policy guided by the principle of ‘Bangladesh First’.
Since assuming office, the Prime Minister has maintained close contact with heads of state and government from various countries and has been actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to safeguard Bangladesh’s interests, the Foreign Secretary said.
“As part of these efforts, the Prime Minister will visit Malaysia on June 21-22 and China on June 23-26,” the Foreign Secretary said.
The Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) is organising an investment summit titled ‘Bangladesh Investment Forum’, where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will deliver a speech highlighting Bangladesh’s investment climate and potential before Chinese business leaders and invite greater investment in the country.
“The visit is expected to take the ‘Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership’ to a new height and open new horizons of cooperation between the two countries,” the Foreign Secretary said.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s twin visits to Malaysia and China, beginning on Sunday, represent a strategic diplomatic initiative aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s economic partnerships, attracting foreign investment and enhancing connectivity.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave for Kuala Lumpur on Sunday afternoon at the invitation of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the Foreign Secretary said. From Kuala Lumpur, he will depart for China on Monday afternoon.
This will be the first overseas visit by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman since his government assumed office in February this year.
Summer Davos Forum
During his official visit to China, the Prime Minister will attend the World Economic Forum’s 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the 2026 Summer Davos Forum.
The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions will be held in the port city of Dalian, in northeast China’s Liaoning Province, from June 23 to 25, organisers announced earlier this week.
More than 1,700 participants from over 90 countries and regions are expected to attend the meeting, and preparations for the event are largely complete, according to an event spokesperson.
This year’s meeting, themed “Innovating at Scale,” will feature discussions on topics including the next phase of China’s economic trajectory and ways to translate technological advances into tangible economic benefits.
Additional Foreign Secretary (Public Diplomacy and Other Priority Matters) AKM Shahidul Karim and other senior officials of the ministry were present at the media briefing.