Bangladesh's Yunus meets Xi Jinping in Beijing amid strained ties with India

Chinese President Xi Jinping met Bangladesh’s interim government chief, Muhammad Yunus, in Beijing on Friday, AFP reported, citing Chinese state media.

The visit comes as Bangladesh looks for new allies amid changing ties with India.

Yunus is on a four-day visit to China to strengthen ties and attract investment. Earlier, he attended the Boao Forum for Asia in Hainan.

This is his first bilateral visit since taking office in August 2024 and coincides with 50 years of Bangladesh-China diplomatic relations.

Yunus is accompanied by Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Energy Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, High Representative Khalilur Rahman, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam.

According to the Dhaka Tribune, in a national address on Tuesday evening, the Chief Adviser announced that China’s largest solar panel manufacturer, Longji, is interested in setting up a factory in Bangladesh.

“We are working with them,” he said, adding that discussions will also cover technical and medical assistance, affordable healthcare, and trade. China has shown interest in importing mangoes, jackfruit, and guava from Bangladesh, with exports expected to start soon.

Bangladesh and China are set to sign several agreements and MoUs after the meeting between the two leaders.

These agreements will cover human resource development, economic and technical cooperation, culture, sports, and media collaboration.

Hasina’s ouster after student-led uprising

Yunus became head of Bangladesh’s interim government last August after former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student-led uprising. She later fled to New Delhi.

Relations between India and Bangladesh have become strained. The interim government has indicated its intention to seek her extradition to face charges in Bangladesh.

According to a report from India Today, Yunus’s visit to China on Bangladesh Liberation Day is seen by some analysts as a strategic message amid evolving dynamics with India.

Moreover, Prime Minister Modi, in a letter to Yunus on Bangladesh’s Independence Day, reiterated India’s commitment to advancing the partnership between the two countries.