Description
Over the last two decades, the US-China strategic competition has peaked in the Indo-Pacific, challenging the region’s small states to conduct fair bilateral relations with both major powers. This paper investigates Bangladesh’s foreign policy toward the US and China amid this geopolitical rivalry. While existing literature examines the Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from the perspectives of the major powers, this research explores how a small state maintains its bilateral relations with both superpowers while prioritising its national interests and security. Applying the theoretical framework of balancing, bandwagoning, non-alignment, and hedging from a small-state perspective, the research finds that Bangladesh pursued hedging between 2009 and 2024 to foster its relations with the US and China, avoiding a tilt to a single power and any strategic military alliance. It cooperates with China’s BRI through economic and development partnerships, while responding positively to the US IPS by publishing its own Indo-Pacific Outlook (IPO). The paper applied qualitative research methods, using academic sources, government whitepapers, and think tank publications. It has contributed to the International Relations field, bridging theoretical gaps in small states’ hedging diplomacy toward major powers in the Indo-Pacific, which is applicable for further research.