China on Wednesday said its relations with Bangladesh and other South Asian countries are not targeted at any third party, nor will they be swayed by any external force.
‘Any attempt to interfere in or obstruct these relations is doomed to fail,’ said a spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, refuting again China-related remarks by US ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen.
The Chinese embassy in Dhaka shared its reaction through its verified Facebook page.
The Chinese embassy has made clear its solemn position on the relevant issue, said the spokesperson, noting that the US ambassador to Bangladesh was singing the same old tune again, pointed fingers at Bangladesh-China relations and was mixing white and black. ‘Such remarks are made with ulterior motives.’
The spokesperson reiterated that China and Bangladesh respect and support each other and have set a fine example of friendly exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries.
‘China is a trustworthy partner of South Asian countries, and its friendly cooperation with South Asian countries has safeguarded peace and stability in the region, promoted development and revitalisation, and has been supported and welcomed by the peoples in the region,’ said the spokesperson.
The US envoy recently said he is concerned about broader Chinese influence in South Asia, stressing that they have a host of options available to try to help their partner militaries meet their capability needs.
‘You know, as I said in my hearing…I am concerned about broader Chinese influence in South Asia. I think the United States government has been very clear about that,’ he said while responding to a question during an interaction with a small group of journalists on January 21.
‘And as I committed to my hearing, I will always engage with our friends in the government—be it the interim government or the newly elected government—to clearly articulate the risks of involvement with the Chinese in certain areas should the Bangladesh government choose to go down that path,’ ambassador Christensen said.
