Beijing’s ties with Bangladesh does not target any third party, says Chinese Foreign Ministry

China’s relationship with Bangladesh is “not aimed” at a third party, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement on Friday, June 26, 2026.

This statement by the Ministry of Finance spokesman came shortly after China announced its support for Bangladesh’s Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project, one of the largest river-based development projects in South Asia, and said it would expedite the feasibility study of the project.

Briefing the press in Beijing, spokesman Guo Jiakun said, “The comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation of the Teesta river is a livelihood project that the Bangladesh side attaches great importance to. China is ready to do its best to support this project. I would like to emphasize that China-Bangladesh cooperation is not aimed at any third party and should be free from the influence of third parties.”

The controversy over the Teesta river took place during Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman’s first official visit to China. Mr. Rahman was hosted by Premier Li Qiang and had a meeting with President Xi Jinping from June 25 to 26.

In the joint statement made at the end of the visit, it was stated that China “will provide support and assistance to the Teesta project within its capacity”. It was also stated that Beijing would support experts from the two countries in “accelerating the feasibility study of the project” while announcing stronger cooperation in maritime affairs.

water diplomacy

Besides Teesta, the two sides agreed to cooperate in areas such as integrated water resources management, water resources planning, hydrological forecasting, flood prevention and disaster mitigation, and river dredging. River-related cooperation is expected to help manage the Meghna (Brahmaputra/Yarlung Tsangpo), which is the second largest river in Bangladesh and is also responsible for annual floods in the country.

In his meeting with Mr. Rahman, Mr. Xi assured him that China would remain a “reliable friend” of Bangladesh and would help implement the BNP government’s development plans. The Chinese President remembered Mr Rahman’s parents – the late Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and President Ziaur Rahman – and said they were both “good friends of China”.

Mr. Rahman conveyed Bangladesh’s commitment to the “one China policy”.

Stating that Bangladesh is against “any form of Taiwan independence”, the joint statement said: “There is only one China in the world; Taiwan is an inalienable part of the territory of the People’s Republic of China, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China is the only legal government representing the whole of China.”

health tourism

In response, China expressed its support for Bangladesh’s “national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.” As part of cooperation in the field of health, China will allow more medical tourists from Bangladesh to come to Yunnan province, which hosts Bangladeshi medical tourists. Yunnan is seen as an alternative to India, which until recently was unable to issue a sufficient number of visas.

The two sides stated that they support “high-quality cooperation” within the scope of the Belt and Road Initiative and work together for modernization. China supported Bangladesh’s greater involvement in multilateral organizations such as the UN and supported “Bangladesh joining the BRICS” and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Mr. Rahman appreciated the implementation of zero tariffs for 100% tariff lines and said Dhaka would help facilitate more Chinese investments. The two sides agreed to advance the modernization of Mongla port and develop a China Economic and Industrial Zone (CEIZ) in Chittagong.

China also appreciated Bangladesh for hosting Rohingya refugees in Rakhine state who were evacuated by the Myanmar army in August-September 2017. China has expressed support for “friendly consultations” with Myanmar and Bangladesh to resolve the refugee crisis. However, the term “Rohingya” was not used in the joint statement on the issue, and the phrase “forcibly displaced people from Myanmar’s Rakhine state” was used to refer to the Rohingya community.