The Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies (ACCWS) hosted the closing ceremony for the 2025 Delegation of Young Leaders from Bangladesh to China on June 20 in Beijing. The event marked the end of a 10-day exchange program across Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing. The visit was organized by ACCWS to deepen the understanding of China's development achievements and philosophy among the younger generation of Bangladeshi leaders.

The exchange comes as China and Bangladesh celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations and the China-Bangladesh Year of People-to-People Exchanges, highlighting the growing importance of bilateral ties and youth engagement.

The program brought together over 20 young representatives from Bangladeshi universities, media outlets, think tanks and political organizations. During their stay in China, the delegates participated in seminars, field visits and cultural exchanges, exploring topics such as governance, innovation, development and international cooperation.

Yu Tao, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), delivers a speech at the closing ceremony in Beijing, June 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

Yu Tao, vice president of China International Communications Group (CICG), emphasized that young people are key participants in shaping the future of China-Bangladesh relations. "Young people are not only witnesses to our friendship, but also the bridge to its future," Yu said.

He called on delegates to strengthen people-to-people ties through mutual learning, cross-cultural storytelling and enhanced cooperation within the Global South.

Md Abbas, journalist from The Daily Star, shares his views during the closing ceremony in Beijing, June 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

Md Abbas, a journalist from Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star, described the visit as transformative. "We exchanged not just ideas, but values, visions and dreams," Abbas said during the closing ceremony. 

Abdul Karim, a lecturer at Noakhali Science and Technology University, expressed his admiration for China's urban development and its long-term planning mindset.

Liu Zongyi, director at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), speaks at the closing ceremony in Beijing, June 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

Liu Zongyi, director of the Center for South Asia Studies and the Research Office of Major Power Relations at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), and director of the Centre for China Studies (Bangladesh), encouraged delegates to view China's experience as a reference — not a model — and adapt what they had learned to their own national context.

"Understanding each other's realities is the starting point for meaningful cooperation," Liu said.

Delegates pose for a group photo after receiving certificates at the closing ceremony in Beijing, June 20, 2025. [Photo courtesy of ACCWS]

Participants voiced hopes of carrying the spirit of the visit back to Bangladesh, promoting dialogue, mutual respect and a closer China-Bangladesh community with a shared future.