Sino-Bangladeshi relations
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| People's Republic of China | Bangladesh |
The bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China and the People's Republic of Bangladesh were established between late 1975 and 1976. Ties had been non-existent since Bangladesh's independence in 1971, owing to China's opposition to its creation. But once ties were established, both nations grew closer on both the international stage and bilateral relations over the 1980s and 1990s.
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[edit] Background
The People's Republic of China supported Pakistan against the East Bengali nationalists during the Bangladesh Liberation War and against India during its war with Pakistan that resulted in the establishment of Bangladesh.[1] In 1972, China exercised its veto power as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to block Bangladesh's entry into the United Nations.[1] Bangladesh had aligned itself with India and the Soviet Union, both of whom had strained relations with Pakistan and China.[1]
[edit] Establishment of bilateral relations
With the overthrow of Bangladesh's founding leader and president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975, the successive military regimes distanced the country from its traditional allies, India and the Soviet Union.[1] At the same time, Pakistan warmed towards Bangladesh and diplomatic relations were established in 1975-76, its allies such as Saudi Arabia and China followed.[1] A preliminary agreement between China and Bangladesh to establish relations was signed in late 1975 and duly established in 1976. The then-president of Bangladesh Ziaur Rahman made an official visit to China in 1977.[1]
[edit] Development of closer ties
China's move towards a more open foreign policy coincided with Bangladesh's distancing from India and the Soviet Union.[1] Both nations grew closer on the international stage as well, finding common ground against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and Vietnam's intervention in Cambodia.[1] By the mid-1980s, China had forged close commercial and cultural ties with Bangladesh and also supplied it with military aid and equipment.[1] The then-president of Bangladesh Hossain Mohammad Ershad was received with much fanfare and warmth when he visited Beijing in July 1987. In 2002, the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao made an official visit to Bangladesh and both countries declared 2005 as the "Bangladesh-China Friendship Year."[2]
Bilateral trade reached as high as USD 3.19 billion in 2006, reflecting a growth of 28.5% between 2005 and 2006. China has bolstered its economic aid to Bangladesh to address concerns of trade imbalance; in 2006, Bangladesh's exports to China amounted only about USD 98.8 million.[3] Under the auspices of the Asia-Pacific Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), China removed tariff barriers to 84 types of commodities imported from Bangladesh and is working to reduce tariffs over the trade of jute and textiles, which are Bangladesh's chief domestic products.[3] China has also offered to construct nuclear power plants in Bangladesh to help meet the country's growing energy needs, while also seeking to aid the development of Bangladesh's natural gas resources.[4] [5]
[edit] References
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