Li Qiang Holds Talks with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarik

Summary

On the afternoon of 25 June 2026, Premier Li Qiang held talks with Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarik at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Li said China is willing to work with Bangladesh to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, promote the implementation of major projects such as ports and water conservancy, strengthen trade, production and supply chains, and financial cooperation, make good use of the zero-tariff policy, import more high-quality products from Bangladesh, and support Chinese enterprises to invest in new energy, digital economy, artificial intelligence and other fields in Bangladesh. Bangladesh firmly adheres to the One-China principle, opposes 'Taiwan independence', supports UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, and is willing to deepen cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure, agriculture and fisheries, and clean energy, and expand people-to-people exchanges.

The two premiers jointly witnessed the signing of several cooperation documents. Wu Zhenglong attended the event.

Commentary

For New Zealand small and medium enterprise owners, the deepening cooperation between China and Bangladesh could have a dual impact. On the one hand, strengthened China-Bangladesh cooperation in infrastructure and ports may divert some of China's import demand, but New Zealand's high-quality agricultural products (such as dairy, beef and lamb) are irreplaceable in the premium market, so short-term competition is unlikely to be significant. On the other hand, Bangladesh enjoys China's zero-tariff policy; if its textile and agricultural exports to China increase, it could squeeze New Zealand's market share for similar products.

However, New Zealand can take this opportunity to focus on China's supply chain layout in South Asia. If China-Bangladesh cooperation improves Bangladesh's infrastructure, New Zealand enterprises could consider using Bangladesh as a re-export hub or cooperating to explore the South Asian market. In addition, cooperation windows have opened in emerging industries such as new energy and the digital economy.

New Zealand's technological advantages in clean energy and agricultural technology may align with China's projects in Bangladesh. It is recommended that New Zealand enterprises keep abreast of China's South Asia policy developments and assess the differentiated competitiveness of their own products in terms of price and brand.

Keywords: Li Qiang, Bangladesh, Tarik, Belt and Road Initiative, zero-tariff policy, trade cooperation, investment, One-China principle, new energy, digital economy

Source: Embassy of the People's Republic of China in New Zealand