China-Bangladesh trade reaches $12.8b in H1 of 2026: embassy

Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and China reached a record $12.8 billion in the first half (H1) of 2026, up 10.6 percent year-on-year, the Chinese embassy in Dhaka said yesterday.

In a statement marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the embassy highlighted expanding cooperation in trade, investment, infrastructure and healthcare.

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China remained Bangladesh’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years from 2010 to 2025, the statement said.

Bangladeshi agricultural products, including fresh mangoes and jackfruits, have gained access to the Chinese market, while efforts are underway to secure market access for guavas and aromatic rice.

The two countries are also implementing a joint action plan to enhance Bangladesh’s export capacity and improve the structure of bilateral trade, the embassy said.

Alongside growing trade, China’s cumulative investment in Bangladesh reached approximately $3.6 billion as of June 2026, according to the statement.

Chinese direct investment in Bangladesh increased by approximately 50 percent year-on-year in 2025, it said.

Since the establishment of the new government, five Chinese-invested enterprises have invested more than $100 million in Bangladesh, creating nearly 20,000 jobs, the embassy added.

The China Economic and Industrial Zone in Chattogram was officially launched in July 2026 and has attracted intended investments totalling $500 million.

The zone focuses on developing textiles and garments, machinery manufacturing, electronics and information technology, biomedicine and green energy industries, the statement said.

Highlighting infrastructure cooperation, the embassy cited the Padma Bridge, constructed by a Chinese company, as a major project connecting Dhaka with 21 districts in southwestern Bangladesh.

The bridge is estimated to contribute 1.23 percentage points to annual GDP growth and reduce the poverty rate by 0.84 percentage points, according to the statement.

Chinese companies have also undertaken coal-fired, solar and wind power projects with a combined installed capacity exceeding 1,000 megawatts, it said.

Several China-aided projects are currently under construction, including the burn unit at Chattogram Medical College Hospital and the renovation of Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge-6.

Other projects, including a general hospital, a women’s hall of residence at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge-9 and an emergency management centre, are also progressing, the embassy said.

In healthcare and humanitarian assistance, China has provided Bangladesh with donations worth more than $4 million in recent years, according to the statement.

The assistance included dengue and Covid-19 testing kits, medicines and ventilators for burn treatment, robotic rehabilitation equipment and flood relief supplies.

China has also supported the construction of a 1,000-bed general hospital and the burn unit project at Chattogram Medical College Hospital, it added.

The embassy said these initiatives reflected China’s support for Bangladesh in times of need and its contributions to safeguarding the health and well-being of the Bangladeshi people.