Bangladesh to review and decide whether it will join proposed trilateral working group with China, Pakistan

Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan have agreed to strengthen cooperation in various sectors, but Dhaka has yet to give any decision on endorsing a proposal to form a Joint Working Group (JWG) to implement trilateral initiatives, diplomatic sources confirmed following a foreign secretary-level meeting held in Kunming, China, last Thursday.

Following the meeting, China proposed a joint press release to reflect the discussions. However, Bangladesh did not agree to the proposal. It was subsequently decided that China and Pakistan would issue separate statements. Bangladesh requested to review the drafts before publication and expressed disagreement with several points, most notably the proposal to form a JWG, says Prothom Alo.

Despite Bangladesh's reservations, China released its statement on Friday. Pakistan did not share its draft with Bangladesh before publishing.

Bangladeshi representatives at the meeting made it clear that the delegation did not have the authority to decide on forming a Joint Working Group. Any such decision would require approval from higher authorities in Dhaka.

Pakistan's statement referred to the Kunming talks as the "first meeting of the Bangladesh-China-Pakistan trilateral framework," prompting questions about whether a new alliance was being formed — or if China was attempting to initiate one. In response, Bangladeshi officials clarified that the country did not agree to form a JWG during the meeting. Discussions primarily explored possible areas of cooperation among the three countries, but no decision was made to establish a formal alliance.

Diplomatic sources stated that Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch, who participated via video link, suggested that the JWG should operate at the joint secretary level and proposed hosting its first session in Islamabad. However, the proposal did not progress due to Bangladesh's lack of agreement.

China had extended the invitation to Bangladesh in mid-May. Officials in Dhaka were initially hesitant to attend the meeting, as China had not clearly outlined the purpose and objectives of the talks.

Several current and former diplomats believe that Bangladesh may have been better off declining the Kunming meeting altogether, citing continued uncertainty over the initiative's intent and implications.

The meeting was attended by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh's Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddiqui, and Pakistan's Additional Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch joined the meeting virtually.