Overview

• Muhammad Yunus, Bangladesh's interim leader, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during his first bilateral state visit since assuming office in August 2024.
• China and Bangladesh signed agreements on economic and technical cooperation, cultural exchanges, and media collaboration, with discussions on negotiating a Free Trade Agreement and optimizing investment agreements.
• President Xi pledged to consider reducing interest rates on Chinese loans to Bangladesh and increasing Chinese investment in key sectors like infrastructure and the digital economy.
• Talks included addressing the Rohingya refugee crisis, with China reaffirming its role as a mediator between Bangladesh and Myanmar to facilitate repatriation efforts.
• The visit underscores Bangladesh's strategic pivot towards China, as relations with neighboring India remain strained following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.