The top leader of the Bangladesh Army will personally visit China to purchase advanced Chinese equipment, revealing a greater sense of urgency than we previously imagined.

In June, Beijing will see a special military diplomacy event unfold - the Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army, General Zaman, is expected to lead a high-level delegation to visit China. As the top leader of the Bangladesh Army, his itinerary not only includes strategic dialogues with senior officers of the Chinese People's Liberation Army but also direct engagement with major Chinese defense industry giants to promote the implementation of several significant military procurement plans. This move reflects Bangladesh's urgent need to build an autonomous air defense system and its strategic choice to proactively break the deadlock in South Asian geopolitical games.

General Zaman

[Package Procurement: Bangladesh Wants "Systematic Defense"]

The core issue of this visit to China is the long-planned "air defense equipment upgrade plan" by the Bangladesh Army. According to the procurement list disclosed by the Bangladeshi side, three Chinese pieces of equipment form a three-dimensional air defense network of "short-range interception + medium-range defense + long-range early warning," each step addressing its current security pain points:

红旗-17AE short-range air defense system: As the upgraded version of the Chinese "Tor-M1," it is highly mobile and can intercept low, slow, small targets such as drones and cruise missiles within a range of 1.5 to 20 kilometers. For Bangladesh, this is precisely the "magic cure" for dealing with frequent drone harassment during border conflicts.

FM-3 medium-range air defense missile system: With a range of 100 kilometers and an altitude of 27 kilometers, it can intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, and even some ballistic missiles. Its procurement cost is only 60% to 70% of that of similar Western equipment, perfectly filling the "middle layer gap" in Bangladesh's national air defense. Previously, Bangladesh relied on outdated Russian-made missiles, which had insufficient interception efficiency and anti-interference capabilities.

JSG-400 3D surveillance radar: With a detection distance of 400 kilometers, it can capture low-detectability targets such as stealth drones and cruise missiles, featuring a 360° coverage design on a vehicle-mounted mobile platform, making it the "eyes in the sky" for the Bangladesh Army.

This set of "package" solutions is not merely a simple accumulation of equipment but a typical case of China's military-industrial "system output." Similar solutions have successfully been implemented in Serbia, proving their adaptability to the air defense needs of smaller countries. Bangladesh's urgent determination to finalize this system stems from its historical problem of "mixed equipment and scattered systems": its current air defense equipment comes from multiple countries including Russia, the U.S., and China, with poor compatibility and high maintenance costs; whereas China's "one-stop solution" from early warning to interception fully matches, enabling rapid formation of combat capability.

[From "Buying Equipment" to "Building Systems": Sino-Bangladeshi Cooperation Has Gone Beyond Simple Transactions]

General Zaman's visit to China is far more than just "coming with a checkbook to pick goods." The Bangladeshi side's demands go beyond purchasing, aiming to upgrade its domestic defense industry through cooperation - as evidenced by the in-depth collaboration already underway between the two sides:

The Bangladesh Ordnance Factory (BOF), supported by China, has achieved local production of rifles and rocket launchers, and the assembly line for portable air defense missiles is also progressing. If this air defense system is implemented, Bangladesh may further seek localized production of radar and missile components, gradually breaking free from the passive situation of "relying on imported maintenance."

In the "Golden Friendship" joint exercise in 2024, Bangladesh's military first collaborated with the Chinese People's Liberation Army in peacekeeping and counter-terrorism scenarios, validating the interoperability of their equipment. This visit to China may promote the normalization of these exercises, paving the way for future deep integration of "Chinese equipment + Bangladeshi tactics."

From simple imports to joint production, from equipment compatibility to tactical synergy, Sino-Bangladeshi defense cooperation has long transcended simple supply-demand relationships. This also explains why Bangladesh sent its Chief of Staff to China - because only at the highest level can breakthroughs be made in technical transfer and standard alignment, among other "deep water zone" obstacles.

[More Urgent Than "Urgency": The "Security Anxiety" of South Asia]

Bangladesh's "urgency" is essentially an active response to regional security risks.

Firstly, to hedge against the risk of single reliance. In the South Asian landscape, the ongoing rise in the competition between India and China sees Bangladesh, as a "non-aligned country," needing to avoid excessive dependence on any one strategic partner. Strengthening cooperation with China ensures the stability of equipment supply while balancing India's influence in the region.

Secondly, the pressure of responding to real threats. In recent years, Bangladesh's borders have frequently encountered drone harassment, and important domestic facilities face low-altitude penetration threats. Its current air defense system can no longer meet the demand, urgently requiring new cutting-edge weapons like the Hongqi-17AE to fill the gaps.

Thirdly, seizing the window of opportunity presented by China. China's "systematic output" capability in military industry happens to align with Bangladesh's need for cost-effective enhancement of national defense. If this visit to China can finalize agreements, Bangladesh will not only quickly form combat capability but also deepen comprehensive cooperation with China in economic and security fields through the "Belt and Road Initiative."

India holds a cautious attitude towards Sino-Bangladeshi defense cooperation, but Bangladesh has repeatedly emphasized that purchases are based on national interests, attempting to alleviate surrounding concerns. In fact, Bangladesh's choice seems more pragmatic. Maintaining strategic autonomy in great power games while enhancing defense capabilities through Chinese technology aligns better with its national interests than choosing sides.

[Conclusion: Sino-Bangladeshi Cooperation Goes Beyond "Military Purchases"]

When the Chief of Staff of the Bangladesh Army visits China with a package of cooperation plans, what we see is not only a South Asian country's desire for equipment upgrades but also a vivid example of developing countries achieving independent security through "South-South Cooperation."

From the short-range interception of the Hongqi-17AE to the medium-range coverage of the FM-3, from the localization of technology transfer to the tactical synergy of joint exercises, every step of Sino-Bangladeshi defense cooperation proves that China exports not only equipment but also solutions for building security capabilities. Bangladesh's "urgency" essentially reflects a yearning for "autonomously controlling the fate of security." And this yearning might be more worthy of attention than any simple military procurement agreement.

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7508572766707237391/

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