Yao Wen says cooperation may expand beyond three countries.
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen. Photo: Courtesy
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Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen. Photo: Courtesy
China wants to move forward with building the Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCMEC) to strengthen regional connectivity and economic cooperation, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said today (2 July).
“China is determined to move forward with Bangladesh and Myanmar to build this economic corridor. This cooperation is not the end of the game. We are open and welcome other countries if they are willing to join,” he said while speaking at a press briefing at the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China from 22-26 June.
Responding to a question, the ambassador said the idea of an economic corridor was not new.
“We proposed the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor about 15 years ago and achieved some progress. But due to various reasons, we have not achieved the results China had expected,” he said.
Yao said Bangladesh, China and Myanmar all wanted greater regional connectivity, and the three countries could begin cooperation with the existing framework.
Participation, he added, would depend on whether other countries wanted to join immediately or take a wait-and-see approach.
“But China is determined to move forward with Bangladesh and Myanmar to build this economic corridor,” Yao said.
He stressed that the proposed corridor was aimed only at strengthening connectivity and economic cooperation across the region.
“This is purely a connectivity project. Our entire purpose is regional economic cooperation,” the envoy said.
Asked whether countries such as India could join the initiative in the future, Yao said the project would remain open to other countries, but participation would depend on their own decisions.
Describing Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s just-concluded visit to China as a major success, Yao said the visit had elevated bilateral relations to a new level.
“It’s a complete success. It’s a milestone in Bangladesh-China relations which reached a new strategic height,” he told reporters while highlighting the outcomes of the visit.
He said the visit injected strong momentum into the growing Dhaka-Beijing relationship and opened up new avenues for cooperation in trade, investment, connectivity and development.
The ambassador also highlighted Bangladesh’s decision to join the Global Development Initiative, or GDI, saying it would create wider opportunities for development cooperation between the two countries.
Yao said the GDI Memorandum of Understanding had been under discussion for some time, and China was pleased that it would now be signed.
“The GDI is related to the common development and prosperity of China and other countries, especially those from the Global South,” he said.
He said more than 190 countries and international organisations had already joined the initiative.
“We are pleased that Bangladesh is now part of the GDI family, and I believe this will provide an even bigger platform for China-Bangladesh cooperation on development affairs,” the ambassador said.
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