The Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh holds a pre-departure farewell party for the Bangladesh friendship delegation to visit China on February 23, 2025. Photo: Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh

A Bangladesh friendship delegation comprising leaders from political parties, representatives from think tanks, media and youth delegates has reportedly embarked on a visit to China, which has drawn close attention from some Indian media, characterizing the trip with phrases like "China opens its arms for Dhaka as Bangladesh-India ties deteriorate" and "China courts Bangladesh's big parties."

Chinese analysts said on Wednesday that Indian media's reports reflect the anxieties of some in India toward changes in Bangladesh's domestic political dynamics, which has prompted heightened vigilance toward any China-Bangladesh collaboration. But such anxiety is unnecessary as China and Bangladesh develop relations based on mutual respect, equality and non-interference regardless of how the international and domestic situations of Bangladesh change, and their relations do not target any third party or harm others' interests, but are oriented toward peoples of both countries, contributing to regional stability and development.  

Calling it "a significant diplomatic development," Indian media Firstpost reported that the 10-day visit by a 22-member delegation to China represents a sign of "China's diplomatic outreach amid rising tensions between Dhaka and New Delhi."

Indian media NDTV claimed that the delegation's visit comes at a time when diplomatic relations between India and Bangladesh have become increasingly strained. The report also detailed recent interactions between Bangladesh and China.

India has long regarded Bangladesh as part of their sphere of influence, and it has grown increasingly anxious since government changes in Bangladesh last year, Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asia Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, told the Global Times.

Some in India fear that either the current interim government in Bangladesh or future administrations may adopt a stance unfavorable to India. This potential shift amplifies their anxieties, prompting heightened vigilance toward any China-Bangladesh collaboration, Liu said.

Prior to their departure, the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh held a farewell party for the Bangladeshi delegation on February 23, according to the embassy.

During the event, BNP Secretary-General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and senior leader Abdul Moyeen Khan expressed gratitude to the Chinese side for inviting representatives to visit China. It is the first of such kind in the history of bilateral exchanges between the two countries, they said.

Such anxiety is unnecessary as China and Bangladesh develops relations based on mutual respect, equality and non-interference. The exchanges demonstrate that China's partnership with Bangladesh remains resilient regardless of how the international and domestic situations of Bangladesh change, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times.

Such relations do not target any third party or harm others' interests, but prioritize the fundamental interests of the Bangladeshi people, contributing to regional stability and development, Qian said.

The current political delegation's visit to China is expected to build upon previous consensus reached by both countries as well as celebrating the 50th anniversary of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relations, Liu said. 

The interim Bangladesh government formed in August last year, composed of figures from opposition groups and technocrats still faces the urgent task of addressing deep-seated economic challenges, such as an over-reliance on the textile industry and the spillover of the long-standing Rohingya refugee crisis in Myanmar which has also come at a significant economic cost, Liu noted.

"The interim government urgently needs to deliver tangible economic progress to stabilize the country, in which Bangladesh hopes China can play a role."

China has previously established many mega infrastructure projects in Bangladesh. These large-scale projects have played a significant role in boosting economic and social development. This is widely recognized by all Bangladeshis, Liu added. 

Strengthening exchanges and mutual learning between China and Bangladesh on governance experience in fields like development and alleviating poverty can effectively help Bangladesh find a development path that suits its national and social conditions, Qian said. "Bangladesh has been striving for strategic and diplomatic independence, opposing India's use of the country as a sphere of influence," he noted.