Why is Bangladesh highlighted at CSAE again and again?  

Bangladesh takes the role of the Theme Country again at the 10th China-South Asia Exposition (CSAE) that is going on in central Yunnan’s Kunming city. It’s the third time for Bangladesh to hold such an honor at CSAE, the most times of all South Asian nations in the expo's history.

The Bangladeshi Theme Country pavilion at the 10th CSAE

 The Theme Country refers to a specific country that receives the highest level of courtesy and promotion at an international expo, with only one such country selected per session. It is granted the largest exhibition space to showcase its comprehensive strengths and host activities such as high-level forums, business matchmaking events, and cultural performances. The purpose of establishing a Theme Country is to deepen bilateral relations and promote economic, trade, and cultural cooperation.

Bangladesh was invited as the Theme Country at the first CSAE in 2013, again at the 6th CSAE in 2022, and now for the third time in 2026. Being named Theme Country three times reflects China's recognition of China-Bangladesh friendship, bilateral cooperation under the Belt and Road, and Bangladesh's development achievements, as well as Bangladesh's strong endorsement of the expo's value. 

An exhibitor at the The Bangladeshi Theme Country pavilion

The expo has witnessed the deepening of China-Bangladesh economic and trade ties and the growth of Chinese investment in Bangladesh. Over the past 10 plus years, China's policy on imports from Bangladesh has also undergone significant changes. 

Since 2010, China has gradually expanded the scope of tariff exemptions for Bangladeshi goods. By December 1, 2024, Bangladesh achieved a historic breakthrough — 100 percent of its tariff lines received zero-tariff access to the Chinese market.

This policy extends zero-tariff treatment to Bangladeshi garments, jute products, aquatic goods, and agricultural products, opening China's vast market to Bangladeshi exporters across all product categories. The expo serves as the most direct platform for Bangladeshi products to achieve "policy visibility and market accessibility." 

The Bangladeshi Theme Country pavilion

Amid the complexities and uncertainties of the international landscape, platforms for Global South cooperation such as the CSAE have grown in importance. To help South Asian countries expand their export markets, this year's expo has established a procurement matchmaking center for the first time, hosting a series of supply-demand matchmaking events to continuously expand trade between China and South Asian nations.

The CSAE has also joined hands with other international events such as the Global Digital Trade Expo and the Canton Fair to share buyer resources. Additionally, the expo debuts a Service Trade Pavilion. Driven by digitalization and openness, the pavilion shows cross-border e-commerce and other new business formats, offering new digital opportunities for Bangladesh and other South Asian countries to expand in the Chinese market. 

(The writer Liu Zongyi is a researcher at the Center for South Asian Studies, Shanghai Institutes for International Studies.)