Chinese Warship Reaches Bangladesh for Dhaka’s First International Fleet Review

Bangladesh’s first-ever International Fleet Review (IFR) in the Bay of Bengal will be launched by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday.

A guided missile destroyer belonging to the navy of China's People’s Liberation Army (PLA) arrived at the Bangladeshi port of Cox’s Bazar on Monday to take part in Dhaka’s first ‘International Fleet Review (IFR)’ to be held between 6 and 9 December.

The Changsha warship is part of the naval destroyer flotilla under the Southern Theatre Command of the PLA Navy, according to the China's defense ministry. Beijing said that the participation of its warship in the IFR is yet another example of growing naval cooperation with regional navies.

PLA Navy destroyer Changsha arrived in Bangladesh on Monday for the latter’s International Fleet Review pic.twitter.com/dYmJDTUcPT

— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) December 5, 2022

In 2019, the PLA Navy’s destroyer also took part in a fleet review with 12 other countries in the Yellow Sea to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Who Is Taking Part in the Review?

According to the Bangladesh Navy, invitations have been extended to the navies of 55 “friendly nations” to participate in IFR 2022. The list of invitees includes naval delegations from India, Russia, the United States, as well as a number of regional nations.

According to an official statement, Dhaka’s inaugural fleet review is being organized to commemorate the birth centenary of Bangladesh’s first Prime Minister Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, considered the country’s founder.

The naval event will also mark the golden jubilee of the 1971 War of Liberation, which led to the creation of modern-day Bangladesh. Up to 1971, Bangladesh was part of Pakistan and officially known as East Pakistan.

The Bangladesh Navy has said that IFR 2022 is being organized to “strengthen cooperation” among the participating navies. It said that the maritime congress will also serve as an “ideal platform” for the navies to “showcase their prowess, naval diplomacy, goodwill and cooperation in a global arena”.

The Chief of Naval Staff of Bangladesh Admiral Mohammad Shaheen Iqbal has said that IFR 2022 aims to “bring synergy into the maritime activities” of the participating nations to ensure “safe passage” by sea.

The naval cooperation exercise comes at a time of heightened tensions between the US and China in the Indo-Pacific region.

Last year, Beijing cautioned Dhaka in advance that joining the US-led Quad grouping comprising Australia, Japan and the US would “damage” ties between China and Bangladesh.

The advice conveyed by China's Ambassador to Dhaka, Li Jiming, came as the US was concertedly trying to woo Dhaka.