Bangladesh was proposed to join Chinese President Xi Jinping's Global Development Initiative (GDI) in 2022. During the previous government, a memorandum of understanding was signed but it was stalled. However, China has not given up. The country is making continuous efforts to include Bangladesh in the GDI.

The interim government's chief adviser, Dr. Muhammad Yunus, will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in a bilateral meeting on Friday (March 28). Beijing is likely to raise the issue of GDI at the meeting. However, sources said that no memorandum of understanding on GDI will be signed during the chief adviser's visit.

They say that China has proposed signing about 15 MoUs with Bangladesh, including GDI, during the visit of the Chief Advisor. But Beijing has been informed that it will not sign these MoUs right now. However, they have also been informed that Bangladesh is positive in this regard. That is why Beijing wants to make some changes to the previous position on GDI during this visit. As a result, Dhaka has agreed to make some 'linguistic' changes praising the GDI this time. That is, China will be assured that we see your initiative as positive. An announcement in this regard will be made in a joint statement.

What is GDI?

Chinese President Xi Jinping officially announced the Global Development Initiative (GDI) at the UN General Assembly on September 21, 2021. He said that the world must work together to ensure a balanced, integrated and inclusive development in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a global plan of China. Where they want to involve different countries of the world. So far, more than 60 countries have joined this Chinese initiative.

Bangladesh's position on GDI

A local diplomat said, “No decision has been made yet on joining the GDI. It does not seem likely that there will be any agreement on this during this visit. However, we will make some changes in the language. In this regard, we have been continuously using balanced language or words, some changes will be made there. This time, we may appreciate this initiative; there may be something like that. However, the exact words that will be added have not been finalized yet. The main thing is, we will give a better language, we will move away from the previous position a little.”

When asked about joining the GDI, Foreign Affairs Advisor Towhid Hossain told reporters on Sunday, "Bangladesh has not yet decided to join the GDI." However, he said he sees no objection to joining it.

Former Bangladesh ambassador to China Munshi Faiz Ahmed said, "Bangladesh is taking a slow approach to the GDI. Maybe we don't want to go too fast. We are involved in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), it is not outside the GDI. We may be involved in the GDI, but we will not sign any agreement or MOU. I don't see any obstacles to us joining the GDI. Maybe we will not join China's Global Security Initiative (GSI)."

The then Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Dhaka in August 2022. During that visit, Bangladesh was first proposed to join initiatives such as the Chinese President's Global Development Initiative (GDI) and Global Security Initiative (GSI).

During the previous government, efforts were made by China to involve the GDI in meetings of foreign secretaries, ministers, and even top leaders. Beijing has adopted various tactics in this regard. However, the previous government refrained from joining the GDI through various strategies.

Former ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited China in July 2024. Bangladesh ultimately backed out of preparations to sign a memorandum of understanding on the GDI during that visit. That is, before Sheikh Hasina left for the visit, China was informed that the memorandum of understanding would not be signed. China was somewhat upset about this.

After the change of direction on August 5 last year, an interim government was formed under the leadership of Dr. Yunus. After the new government came to power, China had a 'take it slow' policy in its relations with Bangladesh. However, Beijing tried to approach the interim government regarding the tension with India. On the other hand, there was a change in power in the United States. Overall, Dhaka is somewhat in line with Beijing's interests.

It may be recalled that the first bilateral visit of the foreign affairs advisor of the interim government, Towhid Hossain, was to Beijing in late January this year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs considers his visit to be quite successful.

Bangladesh's power balance was heavy during that visit. Because - extending the loan repayment period, assuring a reduction in interest rates, designating three hospitals in Kunming for the treatment of Bangladeshi patients, building a specialized hospital in China in Dhaka, and starting flights between Shanghai-Kunming-Chittagong, the delegation returned home. China set a precedent in the hospitality of the advisor and his companions during that visit. They were taken to Beijing with security from Dhaka. They were also taken to Dhaka in the same way.

China once again raised the issue of GDI during the Foreign Affairs Advisor's visit to Beijing. In a series of efforts, China included GDI in the proposed memorandum of understanding for the Chief Advisor's visit.

China wants to return to the One China policy, a promise made 20 years ago

Since the previous government, Bangladesh has been reiterating its firm commitment to the One China policy. And it has accepted Taiwan as part of China. According to a joint declaration between Bangladesh and China in 2024, Bangladesh has reiterated its firm commitment to the One China policy. In this regard, Bangladesh's position is that the Chinese government represents the whole of China and Taiwan is part of China.

But in the changing circumstances of Bangladesh, China is trying to move away from this position. Beijing has proposed to Dhaka to go back to the promise made by the then government of Bangladesh 20 years ago regarding the one-China policy. That is, Bangladesh should support the promise made in 2005 during the then BNP government regarding one China and Taiwan and include it in this joint statement.

In this context, a local diplomat said, "Bangladesh has been continuously supporting China's policy. Bangladesh considers Taiwan to be part of China. But China wants to go back to the time of the BNP government in 2005. But I am not sure whether Bangladesh will do it or not."

In 2005, during the then Chinese Prime Minister's visit to Bangladesh, a joint statement on the one-China policy stated that there is only one China, the Chinese government is the legitimate government of the whole of China, and Taiwan is part of China.

Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Chief Advisor will visit China from March 26 to 29. He will leave Dhaka on a plane sent by China on March 26 (Wednesday). Dr. Yunus will attend the Boao Forum for Asia (BFA) conference organized in Hainan Province of the country on March 27. He will speak at the opening plenary session of the conference. In addition, the Chief Advisor may meet with Ding Zhuojiang, Executive Vice Premier of the State Council of China.

Dr. Yunus will meet with Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 28. On the same day, he will visit Huawei's high-tech enterprise. On March 29, China's famous Peking University will confer an honorary doctorate on him and he will deliver a speech there. Later, the chief advisor is scheduled to return to Dhaka from Beijing on a Chinese plane.

Six to eight memorandums of understanding are expected to be signed during the chief advisor's visit to Beijing. Four announcements are also expected during the visit. Among them, China will announce a loan of one to two billion dollars to Bangladesh to finance several projects. In addition, the issue of financing the construction of the Mongla port will also be included.