Zakir Hossain from Dhaka
Bangladesh’s Tarique Rahman-led government has formally sought China’s support for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project, a move likely to add strain to Dhaka-New Delhi ties amid Beijing’s growing regional influence.
The issue was discussed during talks between Bangladesh foreign minister Khalilur Rahman and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday. Khalilur’s visit is his first to China since the BNP government took office in February.
The Teesta originates in the eastern Himalayas and flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it supports irrigation and livelihoods for millions. China’s interest in the project is sensitive for India as the area lies near the strategically important Siliguri Corridor.
Wang said China was ready to strengthen cooperation with Bangladesh under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and “promote the alignment of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Bangladesh’s national development strategies and deepen cooperation in traditional areas like economy, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges, among others.”
“The government will also encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Bangladesh,” he added.
China’s foreign ministry said Beijing’s ties with Bangladesh and other South Asian countries “does not target any third party, nor should it be affected by any third party.”
The visit comes weeks after Khalilur travelled to India, and as Dhaka’s engagement with China and Pakistan has grown since Sheikh Hasina’s fall. In 2024, India offered technical and conservation assistance for the Teesta basin.
Bangladesh also reaffirmed support for the One-China principle, calling Taiwan “an inalienable part of China’s territory” and opposing “Taiwan independence”. China backed Bangladesh in protecting its “national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity”.
Both sides agreed to strengthen coordination under the China-Bangladesh Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and expand BRI cooperation in digital economy, water management and industry. China is Bangladesh’s fourth-largest lender after Japan, the World Bank and ADB, with loans of about $7.5 billion since 1975. In 2016, Beijing pledged around $24 billion in loans and aid after Dhaka joined the BRI.