BD-China BRI engagement poised to drive sustainable shared growth

The Chinese business community in Bangladesh say cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is poised for transition as the coming decade of Bangladesh-China BRI cooperation is likely to centre on diversifying industry, improving manufacturing competitiveness and broadening Bangladesh's exports to China, reports BSS.

According to the Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB) President Han Kun, the next stage of BRI engagement will centre on sustainability, shared financing and broader participation from private actors - moving beyond the perception that BRI is solely a China-funded framework.

In an exclusive interview with BSS, Han said misconceptions about BRI remains particularly the assumption that China alone finances all major projects. "That is a misunderstanding," he said. "BRI is a bilateral cooperation framework, not a one-way initiative where China alone spends money. It is meant to be mutually beneficial, involving both governments, private investors, and businesses from all sides,"

He said that more than 140 countries have already joined the initiative, making it unrealistic for any single nation to shoulder the full financial burden.

"China's economy is strong, but even then it can't fund all projects in all participating countries. For sustainability, investment has to be shared, benefits have to be shared, and project selection has to be pragmatic," he said.

Bangladesh formally joined the Belt and Road Initiative in 2016, opening a new chapter in bilateral cooperation. Since then, major infrastructure projects - including bridges, power plants, tunnel and road networks - have been undertaken with various forms of Chinese financing, ranging from concessional loans to commercial and private investment.