Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, will visit China on March 26. He is expected to meet President Xi Jinping on March 28, marking his first visit since taking office. Yunus will also attend the Boao Forum on March 25. India’s relations with Bangladesh are tense due to these increasing ties with China.
Muhammad Yunus, the Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, is set to visit China on March 26 for a bilateral meeting, as reported by Prothom Alo. This visit marks his first trip to China since assuming office on August 7, 2024, following Sheikh Hasina’s departure from leadership. Yunus is expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on March 28, according to diplomatic sources from Dhaka.
Before meeting with President Xi, Yunus will attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) conference in Hainan province on March 25. He received an invitation from BFA Secretary General Zhang Jun. The Chinese government is hosting this visit to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations with Bangladesh. The final itinerary and agenda are yet to be confirmed, leading to high-level discussions in Beijing.
India is monitoring the increasing ties between Bangladesh and China, particularly following Hasina’s removal from power. Relations between India and Bangladesh have become tenuous in this context. Recently, during a UN Human Rights Council session, India highlighted concerns regarding a report that it alleged mainstreamed the concept of “revenge violence against minorities” in Bangladesh.
Further complicating matters, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar discussed Bangladesh-related issues with UK counterpart David Lammy at Chevening House on March 5. Around the same time, a 21-member Bangladeshi delegation concluded a 10-day visit to China, during which both nations advocated for stronger ties, with China offering loan repayment extensions and duty-free imports to the interim government in Dhaka.
In summary, Muhammad Yunus’s upcoming visit to China signifies an important step in strengthening bilateral relations, especially in light of the recent political changes in Bangladesh. The Boao Forum will serve as a platform for initial discussions, culminating in high-level talks with President Xi Jinping. India’s concerns regarding Bangladesh’s shifting alliances highlight the geopolitical implications of these developments.
Original Source: m.thewire.in
