China ready to work with Bangladesh to oppose power politics: spokesman

He accuses the US of meddling in Bangladesh’s internal issues ‘under the pretext of democracy and human rights’

China is ready to help Bangladesh and other countries counter hegemonism and power politics, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman has said.

Speaking to reporters in Beijing on Wednesday, Wang Wenbin accused the US of meddling in Bangladesh and others’ internal issues “under the pretext of democracy and human rights”.

“We stand ready to work together with Bangladesh and other countries to oppose all forms of hegemonism and power politics, uphold the UN-centered international system, the international order underpinned by international law and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and build a community with a shared future for mankind,” he said.

The Chinese embassy in Dhaka said in a Facebook post that Wenbin discussed the US sanctions on Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion with journalists.

A journalist from Global Times said they noted recently Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said on several occasions that she found the US sanctions on the RAB puzzling and that sanctions were “like a game”.

“It has the power to topple the government in any country,” she said, according to the journalist. “Bangladesh is not afraid of sanctions and she has instructed the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Planning to stop buying anything from countries that impose sanctions on Bangladesh. What’s China’s comment?”

In reply, Wenbin said: “We have noted the recent remarks by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Indeed, while turning a blind eye to its own racial discrimination, gun violence, and drug proliferation problems, a certain country has long been interfering in the internal affairs of Bangladesh and many other developing countries under the pretext of democracy and human rights.

“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke not just [about] the strong position of the Bangladeshi people, but also the mind of a large part of the international community, especially the developing world.”

He also said, “China and Bangladesh have been traditionally friendly neighbours. We firmly support Bangladesh in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, upholding independent domestic and foreign policies, and pursuing a development path that suits its national realities.”