China sending relief for Rohingyas, willing to play role in solving crisis: Ambassador

China is sending relief for the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh coming from Myanmar and willing to play its part to end the crisis, its ambassador in Dhaka says.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 25 Sept 2017, 04:44 PM
Updated : 25 Sept 2017, 05:23 PM

Ma Mingqiang at the celebration of the 68th founding anniversary of China on Monday at the embassy said in two days time, 150 tonnes of emergency relief goods from China will arrive in Chittagong.

“We sincerely hope this issue will be settled as soon as possible and China is willing to play a constructive role to this end." Mingqiang expressed China’s “heartfelt sympathy” for the refugees in Cox’s Bazar.

“We highly appreciate humanitarian assistance that the Bangladesh government has provided to the large number of refugees coming to Bangladesh,” the ambassador said.

Rohingya refugees react as aid is distributed in Cox's Bazar on Sept 21. Reuters

The statement came when many in the country and abroad are suggesting that Bangladesh should lobby with China to exert pressure on Myanmar to stop violence and take back the refugees.

China and Myanmar have close economic and diplomatic ties, and China has dismissed expectations that democratisation in the former Burma could lead to weaker relations between the two countries.

A ruling Awami League delegation is currently discussing the issue with Chinese leaders in Beijing.

Barrister Biplab Barua, deputy office secretary of the party, told bdnews24.com that the vice-president, international relations, of the Chinese Communist Party Li Jun, gave them the assurance that Beijing will try to influence Myanmar to address Bangladesh’s concerns on Rohingya issue and 'settle the problem'.

China, Bangladesh’s dream ‘common’

Ministers, politicians of different parties, academia, businessmen and media attended the founding anniversary reception at the embassy.

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said the relations between China and Bangladesh are “deeply rooted in geography, history and culture”.

“Since the establishment of diplomatic ties more than 4O years ago, Bangladesh and China have been enjoying excellent bilateral relations,” he said.

“We commend the phenomenal socio-economic development that China has achieved over the last three decades,” he said.

“China is a major development partner of Bangladesh as it continues to provide invaluable support to Bangladesh’s economic development by providing technical and financial assistance in diverse sectors.”

The ambassador said both China and Bangladesh are developing countries with large population and “we have many things in common, even the China dream and Sonar Bangla are parallel in time”.

“The political mutual-trust between the two countries, which is based on mutual understanding, equality and mutual respect, has been further enhanced”.

China remains the biggest trading partner and is emerging as the one of the major export destinations for Bangladesh.

“I hope China will become the number one investor in Bangladesh during my term as ambassador”.

“The good and friendly relations between the two armed forces has been further strengthened and remained a strong pillar for the China-Bangladesh bilateral relations," Mingqiang stated.

Last October, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a visit and two countries agreed to enhance the bilateral relations to the level of “strategic partnership”.

“And this relationship has embarked has embarked on a faster track of development,” said the ambassador.

On China’s growth, he said compared with any time in its history, today’s China is “more prosperous, its society more harmonious and peaceful, its people more self-confident”.

“Today, China remains one of the major engines of the world economic growth," its top diplomat in Dhaka added.