Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrives in China on Monday night to build stronger ties in energy, business, and technology.
Travelling straight from a trip to Malaysia, Rahman will land in the port city of Dalian before heading to Beijing. His first major stop is the World Economic Forum, often referred to as the “Summer Davos.” There, he will give a keynote speech on how countries can lead the way on climate change and green energy.
After the forum, the Prime Minister will travel to Beijing to meet with top Chinese leaders and officials from China’s Exim Bank.
Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said the two countries plan to sign around 15 to 17 new agreements. These talks will focus on securing energy supplies, building better roads and power grids, and growing the digital economy. A major goal of the trip is to finish current building projects faster and bring more Chinese money into local businesses.
Business leaders in Bangladesh are very hopeful about the visit. They believe that with Chinese funding and new technology, local factories can produce much more.
Md Khorshed Alam, president of the Bangladesh-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said Chinese investment could strengthen the local economy. However, he warned that Bangladesh needs clear rules, quick decision-making, and reliable power supplies to keep foreign investors happy.
Chinese companies are also eager to get involved. Yousef Xu, a leader at the Chinese building firm CCECC, said investors from China are searching for new opportunities in Bangladesh. Many of these business leaders will attend the Bangladesh Investment Forum on June 25, where Rahman will explain why the country is a particularly attractive place to invest.
A key reason for this trip is to fix a large trade gap. Currently, trade between the two countries is worth up to $25 billion a year, but Bangladesh buys far more from China than it sells.
To balance things out, Bangladesh wants to export more goods like clothing, leather, and processed food. Officials hope that by using advanced Chinese technology and building better factories, Bangladesh can make more products to sell worldwide and create a more equal trade partnership.
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