Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman urged China on Friday to help narrow his country’s trade deficit by expanding imports of Bangladeshi products and increasing support for key development projects, as he met President Xi Jinping during his first official visit to Beijing since taking office.
Rahman is on a three-day visit to China that began Wednesday, marking his first trip to the country since becoming prime minister in February. The visit reflects Dhaka’s efforts to strengthen relations with one of its largest trading partners and a major source of infrastructure financing while balancing its broader regional diplomacy.
Bangladesh has sought closer economic engagement with Beijing as it pursues investment, industrial modernization and export growth, even as it continues working to improve ties with neighboring India following a period of diplomatic strain.
Meeting Xi at the Great Hall of the People, Rahman emphasized the need to address Bangladesh’s trade imbalance with China by broadening market access for Bangladeshi goods.
He called on Beijing to increase imports of fresh mangoes, jackfruit, guava, fisheries products, raw leather, jute goods and pharmaceutical products, arguing that greater access to the Chinese market would help diversify Bangladesh’s export base.
Rahman also requested China’s continued support for implementing what he described as Bangladesh’s signature national development projects and for upgrading existing industrial facilities to strengthen the country’s manufacturing capacity.
Bangladesh formally joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative in 2016, becoming one of the South Asian participants in Beijing’s flagship global infrastructure and connectivity program.
According to a statement released by the Chinese government, Xi expressed China’s willingness to expand imports of high-quality Bangladeshi products while encouraging Chinese companies to increase investment in Bangladesh.
The statement said Beijing also intends to deepen cooperation in emerging industries, including renewable energy, the digital economy and artificial intelligence, areas that both governments see as increasingly important to future economic growth.
Before meeting Xi, Rahman held talks Thursday with Chinese Premier Li Qiang, during which the two sides signed several cooperation agreements aimed at expanding bilateral economic and development partnerships.
The visit carries significance beyond economics.
Rahman is seeking to maintain balanced relations with both China and India following years in which his predecessor, Sheikh Hasina, was widely viewed as having particularly close ties with New Delhi. Although Bangladesh’s relationship with India has improved since Rahman assumed office, disagreements persist over several issues, including border tensions and regional security.
China remains Bangladesh’s largest bilateral creditor.
World Bank data show Bangladesh owes China approximately $6.2 billion, while the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has provided an additional $2.3 billion in financing. By comparison, India has extended loans totaling roughly $1.6 billion.
Chinese investment has also expanded steadily in Bangladesh over the past decade.
According to data compiled by the American Enterprise Institute, Chinese companies have invested approximately $7.7 billion in Bangladesh, with nearly half of that total directed toward the country’s energy sector.
Those investments have supported Bangladesh’s efforts to improve electricity generation and industrial infrastructure while reinforcing China’s economic influence across South Asia.
Despite its continued engagement, analysts note that Beijing has become increasingly selective about overseas financing.
Chim Lee, a senior analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit in Beijing, said China is now placing greater emphasis on projects that strengthen strategic transportation and logistics corridors.
He said Bangladesh presents a more complex investment case because it does not provide the same type of overland connectivity opportunities available in regions such as Central Asia or neighboring Myanmar.
Even so, Rahman’s visit signals that both governments continue to view their partnership as strategically important, with Bangladesh seeking greater market access, investment and technology cooperation while China looks to maintain its economic presence in one of South Asia’s fastest-growing economies.
