Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jun said procurement of Chinese submarines by Bangladesh would help bring stability in the region.
He made the remark at DCAB Talks, an event organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
“We help Bangladesh to strengthen its national defence ability in accordance with Bangladesh’s strategy of defence building. And we also believe this kind of cooperation will make its own contribution to the stability of the region’s security,” said Li Jun, responding to a question on India’s annoyance reported over procurement of Chinese submarines.
The Chinese ambassador said it would not go against anybody or make situation complicated.
“What I want to say there is no need for such a worry about that. I think this kind of cooperation will contribute to the regional stability and also to the need of Bangladesh national defence building,” he said.
On March 1, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said two submarines would be inducted in Bangladesh Navy by 2015 to build it as a three dimensional force.
She also said the issue of construction of a submarine base was under process. Two new frigates – Abu Bakar and Ali Haider – procured from China were commissioned on the same day.
According to IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly, Bangladesh was the second biggest Chinese arms importer with a total amount of over $350 million in 2012.
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Bangladesh procured anti-ship missile, tank, fighter aircraft and other arms from China between 2008 and 2012. In the same period it also procured helicopter from France, MP aircraft from Germany, light helicopter from Italy and APC from Russia.
Meanwhile, the Indian media on different occasions published reports that New Delhi was not happy over the procurement and it might create tension in the Bay of Bengal and increase Chinese influence.
China-India-Bangladesh relationship
When asked on the perception that close Bangladesh–India relationship annoys China while strong Dhaka-Beijing tie worries New Delhi, Li Jun said relationship between Beijing and New Delhi was developing rapidly.
Citing bilateral trade figures, he said it was now $80 billion and Beijing and New Delhi were negotiating to have exclusive export processing zones for Chinese investors in India.
“In the last one year, the prime ministers of the two countries exchanged visits. So for China-Bangladesh relationship, I don’t think issue will develop at the cost of Bangladesh-India relationship,” he said.
He said even China and India can cooperate in Bangladesh to do something for the country’s development and also for the regional cooperation.
China-US-Bangladesh relationship
The ambassador said an economically prosperous and politically stable Bangladesh would make the region more stable.
“Geographically it is located in a very important place. And also Bangladesh can make a contribution to the sea route security,” he said.
When asked why China congratulated the government formed after January 5 election, which it had opposed earlier, Li Jun said the election was held in line with the constitution.
Asked about holding a fresh election, he said: “I think the international community and the foreign countries, they express their wish but I think this is an issue that should be decided by the Bangladeshi people themselves because you know the country’s situation much better than outsiders.”
The ambassador said last year the Chinese investment inflow to Bangladesh was $33 million and the cumulative figure was about $1 billion.
China has also provided soft loan of over $1.2 billion for different projects and Dhaka submitted 14 projects to Beijing for financing of about $9 billion.
China is yet to take any decision on the new projects as it was evaluating them, he said.
