National Security Adviser and Chief Adviser’s High Representative on the Rohingya issue and priority matters Dr Khalilur Rahman on Sunday said Bangladesh’s foreign policy is now entirely its own, no longer reliant on any other country to shape it.

"We are no longer reliant on any country to shape it. This marks a clear reflection of our strategic autonomy," he said, describing the visit of Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus to China as a “historic milestone”.

Speaking at a seminar, the High Representative also highlighted imperatives for the future beyond the exigency of the present and stressed the significance of employment generation, productivity enhancement, technology immersion, relocation of manufacturing units and supply chain linkages. 

“We never view our relationships with China and India as a zero-sum game; rather, our objective is to maintain meaningful and balanced relations with both," he said. 

The South Asian Institute of Policy and Governance (SIPG) at North South University (NSU) hosted the high-level seminar titled “Reassessing Sino-Bangla Relations: Chief Adviser’s Landmark Visit” at the university’s Syndicate Hall. 

The event brought together diplomats, scholars, media professionals and policymakers to explore the evolving contours of Bangladesh-China relations following the recent visit of the Chief Adviser to Beijing.

Yao Wen, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Bangladesh, also addressed the seminar as a guest of honour. 

NSUI Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury presided over the session. 

Praising the visit as symbolic and substantive, Ambassador Yao  reiterated China’s commitment to deepening cooperation with Bangladesh beyond politics, including future education, healthcare and people-to-people contact. 

The Ambassador reflected on broader global economic shifts: “This visit reaffirms that our relationship is not based on government change, but people-to-people solidarity.” 

Dr Liu Zongyi, Senior Research Fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), emphasised the sociocultural and strategic value of bilateral relations and mentioned China’s readiness to support Bangladesh’s post-LDC graduation and to expand trade and investment cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

 Mohammad Sufiur Rahman, Senior Research Fellow at SIPG, pointed to transboundary water cooperation, agricultural, vocational, and technical educational training as key areas for future engagement with people’s interest at the centre beyond the government-of-the-day-centric approach. 

He noted that Bangladesh has long been expecting a meaningful Chinese role in the stabilisation of Rakhine and the improvement of the security situation there so as to create a conducive environment for the repatriation of the Rohingya.  

Syed Shahnawaz Mohsin, a foreign affairs analyst, urged a balanced perspective on the outcomes of the visit. “This is not a one-off event. It’s part of a broader process of foreign policy recalibration.”

Professor Sk. Tawfique M. Haque, Director of SIPG, who moderated the event, made a call to build sustained platforms for dialogue. “This visit reflects a critical foreign policy shift toward regaining Bangladesh’s strategic autonomy. At SIPG, we remain committed to fostering informed, inclusive and policy-relevant academic discussions.”

Dr. Mohammed Nuruzzaman, Professor of Political Science and Sociology at NSU made the keynote presentation. "Since the July Revolution, Bangladesh’s foreign policy has undergone a strategic recalibration, with relations with China entering a new phase,” he said.

He further emphasised how tensions in Bangladesh–India relations have influenced the trajectory of Bangladesh–China ties.

Expressing gratitude to all the speakers and guests, Vice-Chancellor Prof Abdul Hannan Chowdhury reaffirmed NSU’s commitment to research-based policy engagement.

He noted that the partnerships built through this visit, including MoUs in investment, technology and healthcare, represent tangible steps forward for the youth and future of Bangladesh.