Dhaka, Beijing should ‘deepen strategic partnership’: Chinese envoy

[Bilal9]

Photo courtesy: UNB​

Photo courtesy: UNB

Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Yao Wen today said Bangladesh and China "should deepen the strategic partnership" for cooperation and explore new growth points.

"China is willing to work with Bangladesh to continue exploring cooperation opportunities under the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI)," he said.

In particular, the ambassador said, they are willing to promote upgrading of industries and digitalisation process in Bangladesh, and to improve the quality and competitiveness of "Made in Bangladesh".

He was delivering the keynote speech at a symposium as part of the Cosmos Dialogue Ambassadors' Lecture Series titled "Bangladesh-China Relations: Prognosis for the Future" at a hotel in Dhaka.

The discussion was chaired and conducted by President, Cosmos Foundation and former foreign affairs advisor Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury.

Chairman of Cosmos Foundation Enayetullah Khan delivered the welcome remarks.

The Chinese side has noticed the "Indo-Pacific Outlook of Bangladesh". released recently, and believes that many of its ideas are similar to those of China, said Ambassador Wen.

"China supports Bangladesh in playing a more active and more significant role in regional and international affairs while preserving its foreign policy of independence," he said.

The world today is undergoing major changes unseen in a century, and the pendulum of prosperity is pivoting to the East, said the Chinese envoy.

"Both China and Bangladesh are facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges," he said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launching of the BRI.

Eight mega projects in Bangladesh, such as the Padma Bridge Railway Link Project, will be completed and put into use.

The construction of the Rajshahi Surface Water Treatment Plant Project will also kick off, said the ambassador sharing the outcomes of the high-level visits in 2016 and 2019 and deepening cooperation under the BRI.

Talking about the future of relations, Ambassador Wen said Bangladesh and China should continue to firmly support each other in following a development path that suits their respective national conditions.

The modernisation of both China and Bangladesh involves a huge population.

The envoy said China respects Bangladesh's choice of its own development path, and is willing to strengthen strategic communication and mutual learning with Bangladesh on this basis.

"China and Bangladesh should continue to support each other on issues of core interests, and say "no" to external interference with one voice," he said.

The envoy said they should advocate an open global economy and promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation.

"We should oppose protectionism, the erection of 'fences and barriers', decoupling, and unilateral sanctions," he said.

The ambassador said they must uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

The envoy said they stand on the shoulders of their predecessors and take on the responsibility of carrying forward the China-Bangladesh friendship.

In two years, the two countries will celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Among others, Vice Dean for Research, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, Professor Kanti Bajpai, Senior Fellow and Secretary General of China and South Asia, Center Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), China Liu Zongyi, Professor, Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, China Lin Minwang, Assistant Research Fellow, Institute for International Strategic and Security Studies, SIIS, China LI Hongmei, former Bangladesh High Commissioner to India and the United States Tariq A Karim spoke as discussants.

 

[Bengal71]

Yes sure. How about you start by pushing the Burmese junta to take back all Rohingya? Talk alone doesn't cut it.

 

[bluesky]

Yes sure. How about you start by pushing the Burmese junta to take back all Rohingya? Talk alone doesn't cut it.

Instead, China will again veto any Resolution against Burma in the UN. Chinese interest lies with Burma where China was dreaming of building a naval base in the BoB and connecting it with Kunming with new roads.

Now, Japan and America will not allow this to happen. China should negotiate to use Matarbari Port for transporting its civilian trade goods via BD and MM.

 

[renhai]

Yes sure. How about you start by pushing the Burmese junta to take back all Rohingya? Talk alone doesn't cut it.

We cannot expect CCP to do this. It is even better to wait for democratic China to use force to resolve the MM military government.

 

[bluesky]

We cannot expect CCP to do this. It is even better to wait for democratic China to use force to resolve the MM military government.

China has been supporting Rohingya expulsion from the beginning. . It also vetoed a UN resolution to support MM. China wants/ wanted to reach BoB through the Burmese land. Now, that will not happen any longer.

America, Japan, and QUAD are in the BoB with support from BD.

 

[renhai]

China has been supporting Rohingya expulsion from the beginning. . It also vetoed a UN resolution to support MM. China wants/ wanted to reach BoB through the Burmese land. Now, that will not happen any longer.

America, Japan, and QUAD are in the BoB with support from BD.

CCP is very disgusted with the MM military government. But the CCP does not want MM to fall into large-scale turmoil (like Syria). No one supports the expulsion of Rohingya refugees. Can you stop lying for 1 minute?

China and MM have never been friendly. Even before the Rohingya problem. On March 13, 2015. CCP is ready to use force against MM. If MM does not apologize and stop military operations at the border, CCP must use force against them.

of course. We cannot expect a group of old engineers to do too much. If you like. waiting for me to become the president of democratic China. I will ask the BD army to assist the Chinese army to deal with the MM military government.

 

[saif]

CCP is very disgusted with the MM military government. But the CCP does not want MM to fall into large-scale turmoil (like Syria). No one supports the expulsion of Rohingya refugees. Can you stop lying for 1 minute?

China and MM have never been friendly. Even before the Rohingya problem. On March 13, 2015. CCP is ready to use force against MM. If MM does not apologize and stop military operations at the border, CCP must use force against them.

of course. We cannot expect a group of old engineers to do too much. If you like. waiting for me to become the president of democratic China. I will ask the BD army to assist the Chinese army to deal with the MM military government.

Myanmar military junta has been a major security threat for Bangladesh. We are ready to help Myanmar so that Rohingya people can return to their homeland safe and sound. But Myanmar military junta is using delaying tactics so that the Rohingya people never returns to their homeland. If your country is so disgusted with the military junta then why do they sell sophisticated weapons to Myanmar?

 

[beijingwalker]

Myanmar military junta has been a major security threat for Bangladesh. We are ready to help Myanmar so that Rohingya people can return to their homeland safe and sound. But Myanmar military junta is using delaying tactics so that the Rohingya people never returns to their homeland. If your country is so disgusted with the military junta then why do they sell sophisticated weapons to Myanmar?

MM is not a big security to China, it's a close neighbor which China has enjoyed amiable relations for over 70 years, long before BD became a country. so why China wants to ruin this decades old close relationship?

 

[saif]

MM is not a big security to China, it's a close neighbor which China has enjoyed amiable relations for over 70 years, long before BD became a country. so why China wants to ruin this decades old close relationship?

Economically we are contributing more to the Chinese economy. Each year you guys export $15 billion worth of products to Bangladesh. How much you make from Myanmar?

 

[beijingwalker]

Russia is China close friend while India is a big security threat to China, 90% Indian weapons are bought from Russia, do you ever hear that China demands Russia to stop selling weapons to India?

 

[saif]

China Exports to Myanmar was US$13.62 Billion during 2022, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Now add $23 billion worth of construction job China got from Bangladesh.

 

[saif]

Russia is China close friend while India is a big security threat to China, 90% Indian weapons are bought from Russia, do you ever hear that China demands Russia to stop selling weapons to India?

One of your countrymen told that China was disgusted with Myanmar, That's why asked if you guys are so disgusted with Myanmar then why do you sell arms to them? Russians never say they are disgusted with the Indians.

Myanmar is a resource-rich country with significant deposits of oil, natural gas, timber, minerals, and arable land.

• Oil and natural gas: Myanmar has significant reserves of oil and natural gas. The country is currently the largest producer of natural gas in Southeast Asia. Oil and natural gas exports are a major source of foreign exchange for Myanmar.
• Timber: Myanmar has a large and diverse forest cover. The country is a major exporter of timber and timber products.
• Minerals: Myanmar has significant deposits of a variety of minerals, including copper, lead, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, and gold. The country is a major producer of tungsten and tin.
• Arable land: Myanmar has a large area of arable land. The country is a major producer of rice, corn, and other agricultural products.

Do the Myanmar government controls those mineral resources? 52% of the country is governed by various rebel groups.

 

[jamahir]

Dhaka-Moscow-Pyongyang-Caracas-Havana-Damascus it should be.

 

[renhai]

Myanmar military junta has been a major security threat for Bangladesh. We are ready to help Myanmar so that Rohingya people can return to their homeland safe and sound. But Myanmar military junta is using delaying tactics so that the Rohingya people never returns to their homeland. If your country is so disgusted with the military junta then why do they sell sophisticated weapons to Myanmar?

what? What sophisticated weapons？

 

[saif]

what? What sophisticated weapons？

Tanks, artillery systems, ballistic missiles, submarines etc.