Outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen has said the relations between Bangladesh and China have displayed vigorous vitality and a flourishing momentum, winning the unanimous support of all sectors of Bangladeshi society and its people.

“Today, with deepening political mutual trust, fruitful economic and trade cooperation, and ever-warmer people-to-people exchanges, China-Bangladesh relations are at their best in history,” he said in a message marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China that falls on October 1.

Ambassador Yao said facts have proven that the friendship serves the fundamental interests of both countries and both peoples and conforms to the trend of the times; no storm can hold back the forward march of their relations.

“Looking back fills me with deep emotion,” he said, noting that he has served in Bangladesh for three years and nine months, and he will bid farewell to this post shortly.

Ambassador Yao said these more than 1,300 days and nights have been the most fulfilling and unforgettable chapter of his diplomatic career. “As I prepare to leave, my heart is filled with profound attachment and reluctance to part.”

Over the past three years, the envoy said he has personally witnessed Bangladesh’s political transformation and the historic choices this nation has made at a critical juncture.

“I hold deep admiration for the remarkable resilience and national dignity demonstrated by the Bangladeshi people, who, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, have embarked on a new path of reform and development,” he said in his message.

This year also marks the 51st anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and China, as well as the 10th anniversary of Bangladesh-China Belt and Road cooperation.

“Through half a century of shared weal and woe, China and Bangladesh have always been good neighbors, good friends, and good partners who respect and treat each other with sincerity,” said the Ambassador.

He said China supports the new Bangladeshi government in exercising governance, supports Bangladesh in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, opposes external interference, and supports Bangladesh in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.

This year, Ambassador Yao said, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman paid his first visit to China, during which the leaders of the two countries reached a series of important understandings and elevated bilateral relations to a China-Bangladesh community with a shared future in the new era, injecting strong impetus into the long-term development of bilateral ties.

Although the relations once faced headwinds, he said, “As the Chinese saying goes, strong winds reveal the strength of the grass and fierce fire tests true gold.”

Over the past three years, the envoy walked through the streets and alleys of Dhaka and made field research to Chattogram, Sylhet, Rangpur, and beyond.

“Dhaka’s traffic may be congested, yet the crowds on its streets always stride forward with bright eyes. What impressed me most is the optimism and drive of Bangladesh’s young people,” said Ambassador Yao.

Over the past three years, the envoy said he made many Bangladeshi friends; those evenings of heartfelt conversations and days of walking side by side. “This friendship I will treasure forever.”

“A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near. Departure is not an end, but a new beginning. Wherever I may be, my heart will remain closely tied to this land and to the cause of China-Bangladesh friendship,” Ambassador Yao said.

He firmly believes that the future of Bangladesh-China relations will be ever brighter and the road of their friendly cooperation ever wider. “May the China-Bangladesh friendship remain evergreen forever! May both our countries enjoy prosperity and our people’s happiness and well-being!”

From 2010 to 2025, China has remained Bangladesh’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years, according to the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka.

In the first half of 2026, bilateral trade reached a new high of US$12.8 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 10.6%.

As of June 2026, China’s cumulative investment in Bangladesh had reached approximately US$3.6 billion, said the Embassy.

In 2025, China’s direct investment in Bangladesh increased by approximately 50% year on year.

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

In July 2026, the China Economic and Industrial Zone in Chattogram was officially launched, with a focus on developing key industries including textiles and garments, machinery manufacturing, electronics and information technology, biomedicine, and green energy. The zone has attracted intended investments totaling US$500 million.

The Embassy said the Padma Bridge, constructed by a Chinese company, has been hailed as Bangladesh’s “Bridge of Dreams.”

It connects Dhaka with 21 districts in southwestern Bangladesh and is estimated to contribute 1.23 percentage points to annual GDP growth while reducing the poverty rate by 0.84 percentage points.