China-Bangladesh-Pakistan co-op open and transparent, not targeting any third country: Yao Wen
We've identified 12 key areas for cooperation, including trade, education, and environment. We're working with Bangladesh and Pakistan to follow up and implement the consensus, he says
China's cooperation with Bangladesh and Pakistan is based on mutual trust and transparency, and is not aimed at any third country, said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen today (9 July).
He made the remarks following a seminar, titled "China-Bangladesh Industrial and Supply Chain Cooperation", organised by the Chinese Enterprises Association in Bangladesh (CEAB) at a Dhaka hotel, where CEAB released its "Industry Reports".
In response to a question from reporters about a recent trilateral meeting in Kunming, China, the ambassador stated, "We have already identified 12 areas for cooperation, including trade, industries, education, environmental protection, water resources management, culture, etc."
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Highlighting the importance of unity during uncertain times, he said, "We are in a very critical moment. There are lots of things we can work together."
He added, "Our cooperation is based on mutual trust, an open and transparent process. It does not target any third country. It's for the peaceful cooperation and development for the livelihood of all three countries."
When asked about the current visit to China by a delegation from Jamaat-e-Islami, Ambassador Yao Wen clarified that it is not related to the upcoming national elections.
He explained, "(Jamaat Ameer) Shafiqur Rahman-led delegation will discuss party-to-party cooperation with the Communist Party of China. So, about the election, it's up to Bangladeshi people to decide. So it's not part of the discussion."
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, representatives from the concerned government agencies and departments, and business leaders from both countries were present at the event.
Earlier, Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan identified several areas for deeper cooperation, including infrastructure, connectivity, trade, investment, healthcare, agriculture, maritime affairs, ICT, disaster preparedness, and climate change issues.
Bangladesh, China and Pakistan held the "informal trilateral meeting" on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation meeting in Kunming on 19 June.
On 26 June, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain ruled out any new alliance among Bangladesh, China and Pakistan, and stressed that it was not done targeting Bangladesh's neighbouring country, India, reports UNB.
"We are not forming any alliance. It was a meeting at the official level, not at the political level… there was no element of formation of any alliance," he told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while responding to a question last month.
Asked whether the meeting was aimed at making India cornered, Touhid said it is certainly not targeting a third party. "I can assure you."
'Dhaka, Beijing need to unite to defend WTO rules'
Addressing concerns about the United States' newly imposed tariffs on Bangladesh, Ambassador Yao Wen expressed confidence in Dhaka's ability to navigate the challenge.
He said, "I believe you [Bangladesh] have enough ways and own capacity to overcome the tariff issue."
US President Donald Trump has announced that the US will charge Bangladesh a tariff of 35% on any and all Bangladeshi products sent into the US, separate from all sectoral tariffs, starting from 1 August.
Yao Wen also underlined the importance of defending multilateral trade frameworks, stating, "Bangladesh and China need to work to safeguard the World Trade Organization [WTO] rules. That is the centre to protect our common interest.
He added that they support all the measures taken by Bangladesh to safeguard their legitimate interests.
WTO is the only international organisation dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world's trading nations and ratified in their parliaments, reports UNB.
The fundamental goal of the WTO, as set out in its founding agreement, is to use trade as a means to improve people's living standards, create better jobs and promote sustainable development.
