On June 24, 2026, Professor Yang Jiemian, Chairman of SIIS Academic Affairs Council, delivered a lecture to the 2026 Delegation of Young Leaders from Bangladesh to China. The lecture was titled “Current Global Developments and  China-US Relations.”

Professor Yang provided an overview of the current international landscape and China’s foreign policy, highlighting the impact of the collective rise of the Global South on the great transformation across the world. He shared with the delegates the fundamental principles and practices of China’s multilateral diplomacy, emphasizing China’s commitment to upholding the international system with the UN as its core and advocating for reforms that better reflect the global balance of power and the interests of developing countries.

Stressing that China and Bangladesh are comprehensive strategic cooperative partners and friendly neighbors, Professor Yang congratulated Bangladesh on its upcoming graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status. He encouraged Bangladeshi youth to seize this crucial stage of national development by enhancing their knowledge and skills to actively participate in the country’s modernization. He noted that both nations can further leverage their respective strengths to set a fine example of South-South cooperation. Furthermore, Professor Yang analyzed the impact of rapid advancements in digitalization and artificial intelligence on the international landscape, underlining the vast opportunities that the new wave of technological innovation offers for bilateral cooperation.

In closing, Professor Yang offered words of encouragement to the delegates, expressing his hope that the younger generation of both countries will deepen mutual understanding and build lasting networks for exchange. He urged them to transform the friendships forged during this visit into a foundation for sustained collaboration, thereby contributing to the continued advancement of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between China and Bangladesh.

During the subsequent interactive session, the delegates engaged in a dynamic discussion with Professor Yang, sharing their firsthand impressions of China’s development and exchanging views on bilateral cooperation and experiences in governance.

The lecture was moderated by Liu Zongyi, Director of the Center for South Asian Studies at SIIS and Chinese Director of the Centre for China Studies (Bangladesh).

Research Fellows Tan Chenyi, Zhang Xiaoyin, Wu Mengke, and Zhu Shicheng from the SIIS Center for South Asian Studies also attended the lecture and joined the discussion.