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Tarique Rahman’s China visit shows Beijing’s charm offensive on Bangladesh

Since India has traditionally been an all-weather friend, the new forces in the subcontinent want to move away from Delhi in pursuit of short-term political gains.

The newly elected prime minister of Bangladesh, Tarique Rahman, concluded his much-awaited first foreign tour since he entered office in February 2026. His two-nation tour, first to Malaysia and then China, is seen as a major overhaul of Bangladesh’s foreign and security policy roadmap. It reflects a shift in Dhaka’s regional engagements away from India. Rahman could have made it just a trip to China, but he made Kuala Lumpur, not Beijing, his first stop. Many would say it was simply to avoid headlines in Delhi.

But why avoid Delhi and break with traditional diplomatic practice, especially when Rahman had been pushing to restore ties with India, which were strained in the wake of the ‘July Movement’ in 2024 that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina? Was it the reported delay in India’s issuance of visas to Bangladeshis or the question of Hasina’s extradition? Is Rahman catering to domestic political sentiment by signalling intent toward India but making the final move toward China? While the answer could be all of the above, it would be a mistake to assume that India did not anticipate such a move.

Away from the political messaging in Bangladesh’s new foreign policy, Rahman’s visit to China must be analysed to understand why it matters.

The Bangladeshi prime minister’s three-day tour of China was comprehensive, with key outcomes including security engagements, development cooperation, connectivity, investments, maritime affairs, medical cases, and multilateralism. A total of 13 MoUs were reportedly signed, and among Rahman’s key meetings with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership was with President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall in Beijing.

The Chinese state media called the visit an “upgrade” in ties, citing Rahman’s remarks on Beijing as the “most valued and trusted partner”.

However, the original elevation and language change in bilateral ties occurred all the way back during Xi’s visit to Bangladesh in October 2016, when the relationship was upgraded to a “Strategic Partnership”. It was the same year that Bangladesh joined China’s multibillion-dollar ambitious Belt and Road Initiative.

Both key developments in the Bangladesh-China relationship occurred during the........

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