China tells Bangladesh to "reject bloc politics"

"China believes that countries in the region, including Bangladesh, will bear in mind the fundamental interests of their own countries and the region, uphold independence, reject the Cold War mentality and bloc politics," Chinese Foreign Ministry's Department of Asian Affairs Director-General Liu Jinsong told Bangladeshi Ambassador to China Mahbub Uz Zaman on Wednesday.

According to a press release issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Liu told Zaman during their meeting that countries in the region should maintain true multilateralism and defend the region's hard-won environment for peace and prosperity.

On May 10, last year, Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming had said Bangladesh "should not join the Quad" -- a US-led initiative -- and that Bangladesh's relations with China will "substantially be damaged" if it joins it.

He termed Quad "a military alliance aimed against China's resurgence and its relationship with neighboring countries".

Following that, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen the next day had said Bangladesh maintained a non-aligned and balanced foreign policy and would decide what to do according to those principles.

"We're an independent and sovereign state. We decide our foreign policy. But yes, any country can uphold its position," he had told reporters.

The Daily Star

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