Bangladesh’s government led by Tarique Rahman has formally sought China’s support for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP), a move that could add fresh strain to relations between Dhaka and New Delhi amid growing Chinese influence in the region.
The issue was discussed during a meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Wednesday, according to state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).
The Teesta River originates in the eastern Himalayas and flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh, where it supports irrigation and livelihoods for millions.
Expressing support for the new Bangladesh government, Wang said China is ready to strengthen cooperation with Dhaka under the Belt and Road Initiative.
According to BSS, Wang said China is prepared to “promote the alignment of the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with Bangladesh's national development strategies and deepen cooperation in traditional areas like economy, infrastructure, and people-to-people exchanges, among others.”
“The government will also encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in Bangladesh,” he added.
According to the Chinese foreign ministry’s official readout, Wang also stressed that China’s ties with Bangladesh and other South Asian countries “does not target any third party, nor should it be affected by any third party.”
Rahman’s visit marks his first trip to China since the Tarique Rahman-led government assumed office in February. He arrived in Beijing on May 5 and is scheduled to depart on Thursday.
The visit comes weeks after Rahman travelled to India, a trip closely monitored by Beijing as the interim administration led by Muhammad Yunus has moved closer to China and Pakistan following the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, contributing to tensions in India-Bangladesh relations.
China has long shown interest in the Teesta restoration project, which is located near India’s strategically significant Siliguri Corridor that connects the mainland to the northeastern states.
Against this backdrop, India in 2024 offered technical and conservation assistance for the Teesta basin as part of efforts to deepen cooperation with Bangladesh on transboundary river management.
Water sharing continues to remain a sensitive issue between the two neighbours. The India-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty, signed in 1996 for a 30-year period governing dry-season sharing of the Ganges river, is set to expire this year unless renewed.
The latest development also comes as China expands its economic and diplomatic footprint in Bangladesh. According to Bangladeshi media reports, China is Bangladesh’s fourth-largest lender after Japan, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, with total loans disbursed since 1975 amounting to USD 7.5 billion.
During Wednesday’s talks, both countries agreed to strengthen coordination between their development strategies to advance the China-Bangladesh Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.
Bangladesh also reiterated its support for Beijing’s position on Taiwan. According to the BSS report, Dhaka reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle and stated that Taiwan is “an inalienable part of China's territory,” while opposing any form of “Taiwan independence”.
China, in turn, reiterated support for Bangladesh in protecting its “national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity” and backed the development path chosen by its people.