China, Bangladesh sign 13 MoUs, deepen Teesta river cooperation

Bangladesh and China signed 13 MoUs in Beijing after talks between Tarique Rahman and Li Qiang, including cooperation on the Teesta and other rivers. The move broadens bilateral ties on trade, loans and water management while adding a new dimension to Dhaka's equation with New Delhi.

In Short

• Talks covered export expansion, development support and easier Chinese loan terms
• Dhaka sought Chinese technical help for dredging, erosion control and irrigation
• The Teesta understanding could influence Bangladesh's sensitive water ties with India

China and Bangladesh on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers, and signed 13 memoranda of understanding after talks between Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing.

The agreements are aimed at widening ties in areas including investment, trade, education and media collaboration. The two sides also discussed Bangladesh's exports to China, development cooperation and concessional Chinese loans. Rahman is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday before ending his five-day visit.

Rahman was given a ceremonial welcome at the Great Hall of the People by Premier Li, after which the two sides held delegation-level talks and signed the MoUs, according to the state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha news agency.

According to Bangladeshi news portal bdnews24, the agreements are meant to broaden bilateral ties. Mahdi Amin, spokesperson for the Bangladeshi prime minister's office, said: "Discussions were held on increasing Bangladesh's export capacity so that we can expand exports to China, along with different areas of development cooperation." He added: "Talks were also held on concessional loans from China, including ways to reduce interest rates and extend grace periods."

The understanding on cooperation relating to the Teesta river was reached after a separate meeting earlier in the day between Rahman and Chinese Water Resources Minister Li Guoying. The move may have implications for Dhaka-New Delhi ties, given India's sensitivity over the Teesta water-sharing issue.

BSS quoted Amin as saying the two sides also agreed to expand cooperation in areas such as the Teesta Master Plan, river management, flood-risk mitigation, river dredging, erosion control, irrigation and inland navigation.

During his meeting with Li Guoying, Rahman highlighted Bangladesh's ongoing river excavation programme aimed at reducing flood risks, protecting the environment and ensuring proper management of water resources, and sought China's technical assistance, BSS reported.

On Wednesday, Rahman told an investors' meeting in Dalian that Bangladesh had finalised an action plan that includes excavation of 20,000 km of rivers and canals over the next five years and improving water management in the Padma and Teesta rivers.

Last month, the Rahman government formally sought China's involvement and support for the Teesta River restoration project during Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman's visit to Beijing. The Teesta flows from the eastern Himalayas through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it is an important source of irrigation and livelihoods for millions.

China has for years shown interest in the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project near India's sensitive Siliguri Corridor, which connects the mainland with the northeastern states. Against this backdrop, India in 2024 offered technical and conservation assistance for the Teesta basin, reflecting New Delhi's efforts to deepen cooperation with Dhaka on transboundary river management.

During Thursday's meeting, Premier Li called for a closer partnership focused on long-term economic cooperation, sustainable growth and mutual prosperity between Beijing and Dhaka, Amin was quoted as saying by BSS. The Chinese side also expressed interest in strengthening political, economic and people-to-people engagement, and reaffirmed support for Bangladesh's sovereignty, security and development, the spokesperson said.

Xinhua quoted Li as saying China is willing to work with Bangladesh to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, import more high-quality products, support capable Chinese enterprises in investing, and expand cooperation in emerging industries such as new energy, the digital economy, artificial intelligence and information and communication.

Rahman said developing relations with China is a priority of Dhaka's foreign policy and that his government firmly adheres to the one-China principle and opposes any form of "Taiwan independence", according to Xinhua. Rahman, who heads the ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, also held a party-to-party meeting with Liu Haixing, minister of the international department of the Communist Party of China, and an MoU was signed between the two parties.

Rahman arrived in Dalian from Kuala Lumpur on June 22 after attending the 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions organised by the World Economic Forum in Malaysia. He reached Beijing on Wednesday night. The visit has combined talks on trade, investment and loans with cooperation on the Teesta and other river projects, alongside political engagement between the two sides.

With PTI Inputs

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