Bangladesh PM Tarique signs 13 MoUs with China's Li Qiang, Xi meeting set for June 26
Rahman's first state visit since winning February's election pivots Dhaka toward Beijing with trade, investment and infrastructure agreements; he meets President Xi Jinping Thursday
Summary
Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 25, signing 13 Memorandums of Understanding covering trade facilitation, investment zones and infrastructure development. The visit is Tarique's first state trip to Beijing since taking office following the BNP's February 2026 landslide election win. He is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping on June 26. The two governments framed the visit around the "Golden 50 Years" milestone of diplomatic relations. The previous Hasina government had maintained close ties with India; Tarique's government is pursuing a more balanced regional posture, with this visit the most visible signal yet of a reorientation toward China.
The split
Beijing and Dhaka presented the meeting in uniformly positive terms, with Chinese state media Xinhua emphasising infrastructure and connectivity while Bangladesh's BSS wire service highlighted trade facilitation. Indian media, including the Times of India and The Hindu, gave the visit restrained coverage, noting that India had bet heavily on its relationship with Hasina and that the incoming BNP government's pivot to China represents a strategic setback for New Delhi. Western commentary from Reuters and AFP framed the visit as evidence that Bangladesh is hedging between great powers rather than aligning firmly with any bloc.
By the numbers
- 13, MoUs signed between Bangladesh and China on June 25
- 50, years of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations being celebrated as the "Golden 50"
- February 2026, when Tarique Rahman became prime minister after BNP's election win
- June 26, date of scheduled Tarique-Xi Jinping meeting at the Great Hall
Why it matters
Bangladesh is South Asia's third-largest economy and sits at the intersection of Indian, Chinese and US strategic interests. Hasina's ousting ended a long period of Indian influence in Dhaka; the new government's Beijing pivot affects regional connectivity projects including Belt and Road, the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh economic corridor, and broader Indo-Pacific alignment dynamics. The 13 MoUs are a concrete first step, but their economic weight depends on follow-through on investment commitments that China has historically deployed selectively based on strategic alignment.
What to watch
- Substance of the Xi-Tarique June 26 meeting, particularly any announcements on port or infrastructure financing
- India's response and whether New Delhi initiates a reciprocal high-level engagement with Dhaka
- Which of the 13 MoUs move toward implementation, and on what timeline
- Impact on Bangladesh's garment sector, which is deeply tied to US and European market access, and how Dhaka manages those relationships alongside the China pivot