China positive about Chittagong-Kunming road link

China has responded positively to a Bangladeshi proposal to build road connectivity from Chittagong to Kunming via Cox’s Bazar and Myanmar, the foreign secretary says.

This route will be separate from the proposed BCIM economic corridor, the talks for which are underway.

Emerging from the China-Bangladesh bilateral talks, Secretary M Shahidul Haque on Sunday told journalists that they had floated the idea for the first time in the meeting.

The bilateral meeting led by the visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Bangladesh counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali was held at the foreign ministry.

The foreign secretary said to strengthen the relations further both sides came up with new ideas in the meeting.

China has proposed to begin negotiations for free-trade agreement (FTA) to narrow down the trade imbalance.

The two-way trade crossed $10 billion mark, but is heavily tilted towards China.

Wang Yi arrived in Dhaka on Saturday on his maiden visit ahead of celebration of 40 years of diplomatic ties next year.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina visited Beijing in June.

Before his arrival, China said they expected to implement “the important consensus reached between leaders” and “map out commemorative activities to be held next year”.

The visit is also meant to extend bilateral cooperation in economy and trade, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, and boost China-Bangladesh relations further.

China has focused its relations with Bangladesh in the context of its ‘China-South Asia policy’.

Before the formal beginning of the bilateral meeting, the Chinese foreign minister visited a “Historical Room” on the ground floor of the ministry named “Bangladesh Foreign Policy Genesis: A Pictorial Exhibition”.

Officials say trade, agricultural as well as industrial cooperation, energy cooperation and infrastructure were the highlights of the bilateral meeting.

As China rises as an economic power, it is spreading its influence in the South Asia region with investments in different infrastructure projects.

Beijing has made billions of dollars of investment promise in South Asian countries after its third version of reforms last year.

It shares border with all SAARC countries except Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Beijing also established its own version of the World Bank, Infrastructure Development Bank, amid US criticism where Bangladesh joined as a founding member.

China set an import target of $10 trillion and outbound investment of $500 billion for the next five years.

Bangladesh “deserves to have a proper share” of this development, its envoy in Dhaka Li Jun had earlier said.

During the prime minister’s visit, both sides had agreed to commission a coal-based power plant in Bangladesh and construct a special Chinese economic zone in Bangladesh.

During Sunday’s meeting, sources told bdnews24.com China pushed for speed up the process of building special economic zone.

The foreign secretary, however, told journalists the Chinese expressed their “satisfaction” over the overall progress of the special economic zone and hoped that a “solid” output would emerge next year when both sides would celebrate the milestone of the diplomatic relaitons.

Sources privy to the discussions held in the meeting told bdnews24.com Bangladesh had invited the Chinese president to join the celebrations in Dhaka.

The Chinese officials agreed to convey the invitation.

Secretary Haque said they expected a “VVIP” visit during the joint celebrations next year.

He said they had proposed both road and rail links from Chittagong to Kunming.

“They initially responded positively particularly regarding the road link,” he said.

Bangladesh also offered holding tri-lateral talks involving Myanmar to this end.

China saw it as “a good proposal”, the foreign secretary said.

It once again showed interest in the proposed deep-sea port in Bangladesh after the issue came up in the “context of broader connectivity”.

Bangladesh side said “we are still examining all proposals”.

Haque said China had appreciated Bangladesh’s role in BCIM economic corridor discussions.

It believed BCIM would play complementary role in China’s dream economic belt and 21st century Maritime Silk Road.

Both sides also discussed holding foreign office consultations and Bangladesh wanted the first meeting held next year in Dhaka.

Haque said Foreign Minister Wang expressed “satisfaction” over the socio-economic advancement of Bangladesh.

He termed it a “role model” for many developing countries.

China also wanted to help the government to realise ‘digital Bangladesh’ vision.