“Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hassan, Principal Staff Officer of Bangladesh’s Armed Forces Division, departed for Beijing on September 16 to participate in the Xiangshan Forum-2025, shortly before US Special Forces began a joint exercise with Bangladesh’s military. His visit follows Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-uz-Zaman’s recent trip to Chinese defense manufacturing facilities. Lt Gen Hassan is expected to engage with senior PLA officers amid Bangladesh’s ongoing efforts to modernize its armed forces through sensitive defense agreements with the US, despite delays influenced by Indian concerns. This visit highlights Bangladesh’s strategic balancing between China, the US, and India in regional security.”