China says Bangladesh-Myanmar economic corridor will remain open to other countries

Ambassador Yao Wen says India and other countries are welcome to join the corridor if they choose

China remains committed to establishing an economic corridor with Bangladesh and Myanmar but says the initiative remains open to India and other countries if they decide to join.

Responding to a question on Wednesday about the prospect of a four-country economic corridor involving India, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said: "This cooperation is not the end of the game. We are open. We welcome other countries if they are ready. But it is up to them to decide whether they want to join or wait and see. China is determined to proceed with Bangladesh and Myanmar to build this economic corridor."

The proposal to establish an economic corridor linking Bangladesh, Myanmar and China to expand regional connectivity and economic cooperation was revived during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to Beijing.

The concept of a China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor is not new.

It is part of China's proposed regional connectivity under the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to establish direct trade and infrastructure links between China's south-western Yunnan Province, Myanmar and Bangladesh.

The idea originated in the 1990s as the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM), which received intergovernmental recognition around 2013.

However, the project later stalled because of India's geopolitical objections and reluctance to participate in China's Belt and Road Initiative.

China subsequently shifted its focus to extending the existing China-Myanmar Economic Corridor directly to Bangladesh, giving rise to the proposed China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor.

The proposed corridor would begin in Kunming, the capital of China's Yunnan province, pass through Mandalay in Myanmar, with one branch extending to Yangon and another to the deep-sea port of Kyaukpyu in Rakhine State.

The route would then connect Rakhine to Chattogram and Cox's Bazar through road and railway networks.

Supporters of the project say it could attract substantial Chinese investment into Bangladesh's roads, railways, ports and special economic zones, improve Bangladeshi exporters' access to markets in China and Southeast Asia, reduce transport costs and delivery times, strengthen Bangladesh's global trade competitiveness and create significant employment opportunities through the development of logistics and transport hubs.

Part of the proposed corridor would pass through Myanmar's conflict-hit Rakhine State.

China believes economic development there could help ease ethnic and political instability.

Emphasising that the proposal predates the latest discussions, Yao Wen said: "As you mentioned, we proposed BCIM even 15 years ago. We achieved some progress, but for various reasons we could not achieve what China had planned."

He added: "Now Bangladesh wants more regional connectivity, China also wants more regional connectivity, and I believe Myanmar also wants this kind of cooperation. Why not our three countries start from where we are now? So we will begin by discussing connectivity."

Explaining the next steps, the ambassador said: "I believe we will start from connectivity. That is a precondition for any real economic cooperation."

He added that discussions could later include areas beyond connectivity, including maritime cooperation.

"This is still at a very initial stage. We have not yet gone into the details."

Following the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, officials from both countries will now work on a roadmap to implement the economic corridor, he said.

The proposal emerged after the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus abandoned plans for a UN-backed humanitarian corridor into Myanmar following opposition from both government and non-government circles.

The humanitarian corridor initiative had been led by Khalilur Rahman, then high representative for Rohingya and priority affairs, who now serves as foreign minister of the newly formed government.

Asked whether the proposed economic corridor could eventually evolve into a humanitarian corridor, Yao rejected the suggestion.

"Our purpose is purely on connectivity and economic development. We don’t have any mind as you mentioned, it is not in the domain of discussion on it," he said.

"China will never interfere in the internal affairs of any country."