Dhaka’s business community has moved to deepen trade ties with China, signing a series of cooperation agreements with leading Chinese industry bodies as part of a wider push to expand bilateral investment and commercial links.
The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry signed Memorandums of Cooperation with three major Chinese chambers — the Guangdong Chamber of Commerce of Importers & Exporters, the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronics Products, and the Guangzhou Chamber of Commerce for Outbound Business — during a visit to Guangdong on 18 April.
The agreements were signed by Razeev H Chowdhury, Senior Vice-President of DCCI, alongside representatives of the respective Chinese organisations.
The move comes as Bangladesh seeks to strengthen its position within Asian supply chains and attract further foreign investment, particularly from China, one of its largest trading partners.
Members of the DCCI delegation also took part in the “Trade Bridge–Bangladesh Matchmaking Event” held at the China Foreign Trade Centre during the Canton Fair, one of the world’s largest trade exhibitions. Delegates held business-to-business meetings with around 270 Chinese companies.
Speaking at the event, Mr Chowdhury described China as a “driving force of global trade”, noting that Bangladesh imported goods worth roughly $18bn from China in the last fiscal year. He added that China ranks among the top foreign investors in Bangladesh, with Chinese firms having invested an estimated $1.7bn across multiple sectors.
He pointed to significant opportunities for collaboration in areas such as agro-processing, infrastructure, renewable energy, shipbuilding and high-tech manufacturing. He also highlighted emerging sectors including fintech, artificial intelligence, robotics and biotechnology as potential avenues for joint ventures.
Chinese officials echoed this optimism. A representative of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade said the Nansha region — a key economic zone in southern China — recorded GDP of more than RMB240bn in 2025 and offers strong prospects for industrial cooperation, particularly in automotive manufacturing, shipbuilding and biomedicine.
Meanwhile, Wu Shaowei of the Guangdong Chamber said Bangladesh could serve as a gateway for Chinese products into South Asian markets, while Shi Yonghong of CCCME described the Canton Fair as a vital platform for strengthening ties between Chinese manufacturers and overseas partners.
Business leaders on both sides said the agreements mark a step towards closer economic engagement, with a focus on diversifying trade and fostering long-term industrial partnerships.