Bangladesh, China To Chart Future Course Of Bilateral Ties During PM Tarique Rahman’s Visit

China on Monday said the upcoming visit of Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will help chart the future course of bilateral relations as he is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping , Premier Li Qiang and other senior leaders on strengthening cooperation across key sectors.

Rahman, who chose Malaysia for his first overseas visit after assuming office, is expected to arrive in the Chinese city of Dalian on Monday evening. His official visit to China, at the invitation of Premier Li, will take place from June 24 to 26 .

Before the official engagements, Rahman will attend the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions , organised by the World Economic Forum in Dalian from June 23 to 24. The event, often referred to as the Summer Davos, will be inaugurated by Premier Li.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the leaders of the two countries would discuss the future direction of bilateral ties. Describing China and Bangladesh as traditional friends, neighbours and comprehensive strategic cooperative partners, he said Beijing looks forward to strengthening strategic communication and expanding cooperation in multiple sectors.

According to Guo, China hopes to work with Bangladesh to advance high-quality Belt and Road Initiative cooperation , expand exchanges and enhance coordination on multilateral affairs, taking the bilateral partnership to a new level.

Ahead of the visit, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam said discussions would focus on trade, investment, development cooperation, infrastructure, energy security, the digital economy and regional connectivity .

He said Bangladesh would prioritise attracting greater Chinese investment, accelerating the implementation of ongoing projects and exploring measures to reduce the country's trade deficit with China. Dhaka is also seeking cooperation in strengthening energy infrastructure, expanding digital connectivity and improving transport links to support economic growth and regional integration.

China has significantly expanded its presence in Bangladesh through investments and infrastructure projects over the years. The visit comes amid growing economic engagement between the two countries and is expected to further deepen cooperation in areas critical to Bangladesh's development and connectivity ambitions.