Bangladesh’s hedging amidst the Sino–US rivalry

Bibliographic Data

ID21390632
AuthorsMohd Amdadul Haque (0000-0002-9867-0023, Shandong University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Pages1-18
Publication date2026-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Round Table (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0035-8533 • E-ISSN: 1465-4008
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00358533.2026.2691211
OpenAlexW7166849499
LanguageEN
References cited34

Bangladesh operates within a major power-defined framework and actively engages with the United States and China. Bangladesh’s geopolitical position in South Asia places it at the centre of the intensifying Sino–US rivalry, prompting Dhaka to adopt a subtle hedging strategy to safeguard national interests. This paper explores how Bangladesh uses strategic ambiguity and various partnerships to balance the competing influences of China and the US. The analysis covers economic, political and security aspects, detailing Bangladesh’s involvement with China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its trade ties with the US. The paper discusses the opportunities and challenges of this dual approach, including risks such as economic dependency and regional security issues, notably the Rohingya crisis. By examining Bangladesh’s flexible foreign policy, the paper highlights the importance of maintaining autonomy amid great-power competition, and small-state agency in global politics. The findings underline the need for ongoing strategic flexibility to promote sustainable development and regional stability

Agency (philosophy) · Ambiguity · Autonomy · Balance (ability) · China · Flexibility (engineering) · Geopolitics · Politics · Position (finance) · Rivalry · Asian Geopolitics and Ethnography · Bangladesh Politics, Society, and Development · International Relations and Foreign Policy

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