Dhaka and Beijing are set to hold their first official meeting on the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) economic corridor on Sunday as Bangladesh has shown interest in the initiative for greater connectivity.
“We have interest in BCIM and we are looking at the modalities of the initiative,” Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque told the Dhaka Tribune.
An eight-member Chinese delegation, led by Deputy Director General of International Department of National Development and Reform Commission Lin Dajian, arrived in the city on Saturday.
The initiative was earlier an academic discussion under “Track II diplomacy,” but has now been converted into “Track I diplomacy,” allowing government officials to engage in discussions. Though the initiative begun back in 1999, it got its first major boost in May this year when the Chinese and Indian prime ministers jointly declared that both countries have agreed on the construction of the corridor, converting long-standing academic discussions into a regional cooperation strategy.
Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni is scheduled to visit China after the Eid-ul-Azha to hold meetings with Chinese officials about the BCIM and other issues.
“She will discuss a gamut of issues with Chinese officials where BCIM will come up in the discussion,” Shahidul said.
