China playing role as mediator: Chinese envoy

Staff Reporter  :
Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen said that his government has been working ‘very hard’ to resolve the Rohingya crisis, though it is not the issue of their country.

“Rohingya repatriation is the only solution as the international donation is declining. Though this is not an issue of China, as the P5 member (Security Council Member) as well as common level of both Bangladesh and Myanmar, China has been working very hard to play the role as mediator and facilitator,” he said.

The ambassador came up with the statement while delivering a keynote speech titled “Bangladesh-China Relations: Prognosis for the Future” as part of the Cosmos Dialogue Ambassadors’ Lecture Series at a symposium held in a city hotel in Dhaka on Saturday.

Dr. Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, the former foreign affairs advisor and current President of the Cosmos Foundation, chaired and conducted the discussion.
The Chinese Ambassador made the statement when a 27-member delegation, including 20 Rohingyas, visited the Maungdaw on Friday afternoon and observed the arrangement made for their repatriation.

After the visit Commissioner of the Refugee, Relief and Repatriation Commission Md Mizanur Rahman told the media that they want to start the repatriation, though the visiting Rohingyas expressed their dissatisfaction saying that they wanted to return their original villages with citizenships.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador is hopeful that the repatriation would take place through the joint efforts of Bangladesh and Myanmar with the support of the international community and it will be sustainable.

Replying to a query, Ambassador Yao also stated that the Rohingya crisis was a humanitarian tragedy which should not repeat.
Apart from Rohingya issue, the envoy stated that China and Bangladesh have often firmly stood for each other on the core issues for mutual interests.
“We both pursue an independent diplomacy for peace. We support each other in safeguarding sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and national dignity,” he mentioned.

However, he said that both China and Bangladesh should coordinate and cooperate on the regional and international affairs, and jointly oppose any external interference.
“We have never accused each other on issues such as democracy and human rights. China appreciates Bangladesh’s long-term and firm support for the one-China principle,” he said.

Hoping to deepen ‘strategic partnership’ for future cooperation, he said, “China is willing to work with Bangladesh to continue exploring cooperation opportunities under the Global Development Initiative (GDI), Global Security Initiative (GSI) and Global Civilization Initiative (GCI).”
About the recent ‘Indo-Pacific Outlook of Bangladesh’ he said, “China supports Bangladesh in playing a more active and more significant role in regional and international affairs while preserving its foreign policy of independence.”