Trust, friendship foundation of relations
Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit to China from June 24 to 26 has once again brought Bangladesh-China relations into public focus. High-level engagements between the two countries over the past several months, including meetings between their foreign ministers and discussions on economic cooperation, indicate that both sides want to take their relationship to a more practical and productive level. As a Bangladeshi and as someone who has long been involved in promoting Bangladesh-China relations and Chinese language education, I have been observing these developments with great interest.
When I began learning the Chinese language in 1988, I never imagined I would spend so many years working on Bangladesh-China relations. Through my studies in China, participation in various academic and research activities, and my involvement in leading the activities of We Speak Chinese Club Bangladesh Limited, I have come to realize that the true foundation of relations between nations is not merely agreements, loans, or infrastructure. Rather, it lies in trust between people, mutual respect, and a long-term spirit of cooperation.
On May 20, 2024, I had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion titled "China-Bangladesh Relations and the Belt and Road Initiative" at the MBA building of the University of Dhaka. During the discussions among academics, researchers and policy stakeholders from both Bangladesh and China, one theme emerged repeatedly: Bangladesh-China relations are increasingly moving beyond symbolic friendship, evolving into a partnership based on economic cooperation, technology, education, human resource development and regional connectivity.
A joint statement issued after a recent meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries placed particular emphasis on economic cooperation, trade, investment, the digital economy, water resource management, healthcare and people-to-people exchanges. Bangladesh seeks possible Chinese involvement in the management and restoration of the Teesta River. If implemented successfully, these initiatives could inject new momentum into Bangladesh's development journey.
At the same time, I believe that maintaining a balanced foreign policy remains the most important consideration for Bangladesh. Historically, Bangladesh has pursued a policy of friendship toward all. Therefore, instead of leaning excessively toward any particular power, our primary objective should be to uphold a multidimensional diplomatic balance while safeguarding national interests.
When thinking about the future of Bangladesh-China cooperation, I often ask myself a simple question: Which projects can make the greatest positive difference to the lives of ordinary people? In my view, future cooperation should accord the highest priority to healthcare, education, skilled human resource development, and job creation. Establishing international-standard hospitals and universities across Bangladesh's eight administrative divisions would help distribute the benefits of development more evenly throughout the country. Likewise, high-speed rail connectivity centered on Dhaka could add a new dimension to national economic activities.
Another major opportunity for Bangladesh lies in the blue economy. The immense potential of the Bay of Bengal can be properly tapped by establishing an international-standard maritime research center. At the same time, cooperation in renewable energy, digital technology and artificial intelligence could play an important role in enhancing Bangladesh's future competitiveness.
Through my long involvement in Chinese language education and human resource development, I have observed that Bangladesh's greatest asset is its young population. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on technical education, language training and skills development aligned with international labor market demands. Training programs focused on Chinese language proficiency and modern technologies could create new employment opportunities for thousands of young people in the years ahead.
Personally, I believe that the success of any international development project depends on how tangibly it affects the lives of ordinary people. No project can achieve long-term success without earning the trust and confidence of the people. For that reason, job creation, technology transfer, skills development and strengthening local economies should always remain key priorities of projects.
The fiftieth anniversary of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations in 2025 has opened a new chapter of possibilities. Various media reports and recent diplomatic engagements suggest that ties between the two countries may deepen further in the coming years. However, the true measure of success will not be the number of agreements signed, but rather how many lives are improved, how many jobs are created, and how much sustainable development is achieved.
Finally, as a long-time observer and contributor, I believe that the greatest strength of Bangladesh-China relations lies not in infrastructure, trade figures, or financing statistics. Its real strength lies in the trust, friendship and mutual respect that have developed between the peoples of the two countries. The stronger that foundation becomes, the brighter the future will be for both nations.
The author is a retired lieutenant colonel in Bangladesh, an adjunct professor, founder and general secretary of We Speak Chinese Club Bangladesh Limited.
The views don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
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