• Bangladesh not to join GDI immediately
• Announcement of $2.5 billion in grant and loan likely
• Preparations to sign 7 MoUs
• Announcement of setting up robotic physiotherapy and rehabilitation centre and some other

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus will hold a high-level meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping, and four separate meetings with the representatives of leading Chinese business firms on trade and investment in Beijing on 28 March during his first bilateral visit to China.

According to diplomatic sources of both countries, Bangladesh would emphasise cooperation in economic sector despite it showed desire to strengthen overall political relation ahead of the 50th anniversary of Dhaka-Beijing diplomatic relations, while China would emphasise overall political cooperation focusing one China principle and Bangladesh joining Xi Jinping’s Global Development Initiative (GDI).

It has been learned after talking to several diplomatic sources that Bangladesh emphasises financing in the financial and development process, but China does not want to focus on economic cooperation in the border perspective of the bilateral relations. China says economic cooperation is a part of the relations. Cooperation should be seen from the political perspective to improve the Dhaka-Beijing relations to next stage, and that is also pragmatic.

Foreign ministry officials told Prothom Alo the Chief Adviser will fly to Hainan province by a Chinese charter plane on 26 March, join the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2025, initiated by 25 Asian countries and Australia, and then go to Beijing.