The Prime Minister’s four-day visit to Beijing will begin on June 23 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping. After arriving there directly from Malaysia, he will attend high-level bilateral and private meetings with China’s top leadership. The visit comes at a time when competition between superpowers for influence in South Asia is intensifying. On the other hand, Bangladesh is also looking for new diplomatic partnerships for its economic growth and infrastructure development.
Tariq Rahman’s first visit to China after assuming office as Prime Minister has created a lot of interest in the international community. International relations analysts believe that the visit, which will begin on June 23, is not only important for the development of Dhaka-Beijing bilateral relations, but also for Bangladesh’s strategic position in the changing geopolitics of South Asia.
Just before this visit, a project worth Tk 4,189 crore to establish a Chinese economic zone in Chittagong’s Anwara was passed at the ECNEC meeting, which indicates Dhaka’s closeness with Beijing. According to analysts, the implementation of the long-discussed ‘Tista Grand Plan’, security cooperation and large-scale Chinese investment will be given priority during this visit.
Countries like India and the United States are also paying special attention to this visit. Dhaka’s every move now matters because of the Sino-Indian competition in South Asia and the West’s prowess in the Indo-Pacific region. Analysts suggest that Bangladesh’s foreign and defense policies should be determined in such a way that national interests are maintained. According to Professor Imtiaz Ahmed, the current economic structure of Bangladesh is such that it is important to have a balanced relationship with everyone. In making a big deal with any country, it is necessary to present the matter clearly.
Overall, experts believe that the real success of this visit depends on how much economic and strategic benefits Bangladesh can get from this visit of Prime Minister Tariq Rahman.
China has emerged as one of Bangladesh’s major partners in the infrastructure and defense sectors over the past few years. In particular, the issue of Chinese investment in the Kunming-Chittagong road link and the Teesta river management project has been discussed for a long time. The talks are expected to gain new momentum through the visit of the Prime Minister.
Times BD/RA
