China wants Bangladesh to independently decide its stance on regional and international matters, instead of relying on others who want Bangladesh on their sides, the Chinese ambassador in Dhaka said yesterday. “Bangladesh has a very good foreign policy: friendship to all and malice to none. This means Bangladesh will take no side, but remain independent. We support this,” said new Chinese envoy Yao Wen at the annual Spring Dialogue with journalists at the embassy.
He said Indo Pacific Strategy of the US; AUKUS, a security pact among Australia, the UK and the US; and Five Eyes, an intelligence alliance comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK and the US; and QUAD, a security dialogue among the US, Australia, Japan and India; have very strong defence elements.
“It is an era of development and peace. Why do you need nuclear submarines? We know who is the target,” Yao Wen said.
If these initiatives create confrontation, China will not support them, he said.
At another event earlier in the day, Yao Wen said his country supports Bangladesh’s stance on rejecting foreign interference in its internal affairs.
When asked at the Spring Dialogue why China could not help address the Rohingya crisis, the envoy said his country began a trilateral initiative, but the coronavirus pandemic and conflicts in Myanmar since 2021 slowed down the process.
The lack of “trust between Bangladesh and Myanmar and foreign interventions” further complicated the crisis, he said without going into details.
He expects the repatriation of the first batch of Rohingyas to take place soon, he said.
Bangladesh foreign ministry officials earlier said 1,000 Rohingyas may get repatriated before June.
Yao Wen lamented that the food ration for Rohingyas saw cuts.
The western countries are spending billions of dollars on military equipment for Ukraine, but they are not sending enough aid for the Rohingyas, he said.
“It is my promise. China will never be absent from helping the Rohingya. China will play the role of a mediator and facilitator, but we will not take sides,” he said.
About the US’ passing of BURMA Act, which is meant to support civilian forces in Myanmar, he said China will support any efforts for reconciliation and peace, but not the things that create confrontation.
Mediating the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia is an example of how China is seeking global peace, he said, adding that China was trying to mediate between Russia and Ukraine and reduce India-China tension.
China has supported a number of mega projects in Bangladesh and it will make more investments in ICT, renewable energy, textile machinery and food processing, he said.
The Business Standard Editor Inam Ahmed moderated the dialogue.
