Bangladesh should tap China's tech shift to boost manufacturing: PM adviser

Bangladesh should position itself to attract manufacturing relocating from China as the country moves towards advanced technology industries, while also pursuing broader zero-tariff access to the Chinese market, Prime Minister's Adviser Humaiun Kobir said today (3 August).

Speaking at the inauguration of the four-day Comparative Governance Forum 2026 in Dhaka, Humaiun said Bangladesh has a "tremendous opportunity" to strengthen economic growth and trade by deepening cooperation with China as global supply chains continue to evolve.

"As global supply chains shift and China moves from standard manufacturing into advanced technology, we can absorb some of those manufacturing lines through close collaboration with China," he said.

He said such cooperation would create jobs and help diversify Bangladesh's exports beyond textiles and light engineering. He also highlighted the potential for negotiating wider zero-tariff market access for Bangladeshi products in China.

The forum, jointly organised by the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) and the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University, is being held from 3 to 6 August. 

The programme includes expert lectures, a panel discussion and field visits to the Padma Bridge and the Dasherkandi Sewage Treatment Plant.

Humaiun said Bangladesh and China have developed a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership covering trade, investment, infrastructure, connectivity, education and people-to-people exchanges.

He said comparative governance is not about copying another country's model but about understanding how different countries address common challenges and adapting relevant lessons to national circumstances.

He also stressed that good governance is essential for sustainable development, saying institutions must remain transparent, accountable and responsive while embracing digital transformation and innovation to improve public services.

Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said Bangladesh-China relations have entered a new strategic phase under the vision of building a community with a shared future.

He said cooperation between the two countries is expanding in both scale and scope, including efforts to align development strategies and advance projects such as comprehensive management of the Teesta River, modernisation of Mongla Port and the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor.

The ambassador said the forum would focus on practical governance issues, including poverty alleviation, digital governance, artificial intelligence and the digital economy, allowing participants to exchange experiences and explore policy solutions suited to Bangladesh's development needs.

Following the inaugural session, BIISS and Fudan University signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in research, academic exchanges, capacity building, joint publications and policy dialogue.

According to BIISS, the forum has brought together academics, researchers, policymakers and practitioners from Bangladesh and China to exchange views on governance, public policy and international affairs. 

Discussions will cover China's governance model, targeted poverty alleviation, digital governance and artificial intelligence, industrialisation, the Global Development Initiative, and future Bangladesh-China cooperation.