Roundtable Discussion on “Bangladesh-China Relations

The Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) organised a roundtable discussion titled “Bangladesh–China Relations: Political and Economic Dimensions” on Thursday, 20 June 2013, at the BIISS Auditorium.

The roundtable was organised in advance of the proposed official visit of H.E. Mr. Md. Shahidul Haque, Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Bangladesh, who was scheduled to lead a delegation to China for bilateral consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and China. The discussion aimed to generate policy recommendations and expert insights to support the preparations for the visit and to strengthen Bangladesh–China bilateral engagement.

The session was chaired by Ambassador Munshi Faiz Ahmad, Chairman, Board of Governors, BIISS. Major General Sajjadul Haque, afwc, psc, delivered the welcome address, while H.E. Mr. Md. Shahidul Haque attended the programme and delivered a keynote address highlighting the strategic importance of Bangladesh–China relations in the context of regional cooperation and economic development.

The keynote paper was jointly presented by Dr. M. Jashim Uddin, Senior Research Fellow, BIISS, and Mr. Mahbubur Rashid Bhuiyan, Research Officer, BIISS. Their presentation examined the political and economic dimensions of Bangladesh–China relations, including diplomatic cooperation, trade and investment, infrastructure development, connectivity, regional security, and opportunities for expanding bilateral collaboration.

The presentation was followed by an interactive open discussion involving government officials (serving and retired), diplomats, academicians, representatives from non-governmental organisations, business leaders, journalists, and researchers. Participants shared valuable observations and recommendations on enhancing political trust, deepening economic cooperation, and expanding people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

The roundtable concluded with a shared commitment to further strengthening the longstanding friendship and comprehensive partnership between Bangladesh and China through sustained dialogue, mutually beneficial cooperation, and strategic engagement.