Recent Trends of Bangladesh-China Bilateral Relations: A Political-Economic Analysis

China considers Bangladesh as a regional partner in South Asia as it is located in a geopolitically important region. China’s relationship with Bangladesh indicates China’s influence regionally and internationally. The two-way partnership results in the development of Bangladesh’s infrastructure on the one hand, and China benefits from the implementation of the BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) project, on the other. The nature of the Sino-Bangladesh partnership is analyzed in this study on the concept of realism theory like balance of power. Experts believe that China seeks to secure its national interests by maintaining ties with Bangladesh. Bangladesh realizes that the interests of both (China and Bangladesh) should be protected equally through this relationship. Since 2020, a large number of landmark projects in Bangladesh have been completed, including the third phase of the Bangladeshi Government Basic Network Project, the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Center, the Payra (An area in Bangladesh) Power Plant, the 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, the Dasher Gandhi Sewage Treatment Plant, the Padma Multipurpose Bridge, Karnaphuli river tunnel, the Padma Bridge Rail Link, Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar rail line, etc. with the assistance of China. Bangladesh has also offered to set up a Special Economic Zone for China. Access to the Bay of Bengal is a big opportunity for China’s land-locked Yunnan province. Therefore, this study highlights the nature of Bangladesh-China political-economic relations using secondary data descriptively and analytically.