Bangladesh and China Elevate Strategic Partnership During Rahman Beijing Visit

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman spent four days in China last week after an initial stop in Malaysia. The trip marked his first abroad since taking office in February. Chinese President Xi Jinping shook hands with Rahman at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 26.

Bangladesh and China issued a joint statement declaring their strategic partnership will be elevated to build a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era. The countries agreed to partner on connectivity, port modernization projects, and water management. They also discussed relocating Chinese factories to Bangladesh.

The two sides announced a 2+2 dialogue between their defense and foreign ministries. They signed a memorandum of understanding committing Bangladesh schools to teach Mandarin. Beijing pledged to support Dhaka’s accession to BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.

Pakistan carried out airstrikes across eastern Afghanistan against what it called terrorist targets. The Taliban stated that civilians were killed. The United Nations stated that at least 28 civilians died.

Syed Ata Hasnain, governor of Bihar, and Pabitra Margherita, minister of state for external affairs, will represent India at the funeral of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Iran invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The total number of suspected measles cases in Bangladesh since mid-March rose past 100,000.

Nearly half were identified in Dhaka. A U.N. vaccination campaign has vaccinated 18.4 million children, exceeding the target of 18 million. 94 percent of children in certain Rohingya refugee camps have been vaccinated against measles.