Pakistan, China and Bangladesh have launched a trilateral mechanism of cooperation, promising to seek “win-win cooperation” in what could be a subtle but critical change in the strategic contours of South Asia.
The statement followed the first meeting of the Bangladesh-China-Pakistan Vice Foreign Minister/Foreign Secretary mechanism on Friday.
A statement released by the Foreign Office stated that the meeting was hosted by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique and Pakistan Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui.
Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch participated in the first session through a video link.
In her address, Ms. Baloch conveyed the interest of Pakistan in a greater interaction between China and the countries of South Asia.
She described the “upward trend of bilateral relations” both with China and Bangladesh and “expressed Pakistan’s willingness to collaborate with the two countries to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, agriculture, digital economy, environment protection, marine sciences, green infrastructure, culture, education and people-to-people exchange.
The three countries decided to form a joint working group to take follow-up on agreements the talks resulted in.”.
The establishment of this trilateral initiative is a significant milestone in the South Asian political world, especially since it united Pakistan and Bangladesh, who for decades had stood diplomatically apart.
Pakistan-Bangladesh relations
The Islamabad-Dhaka relationship has improved significantly since the removal of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina from power last year.
In the temporary caretaker government of Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Dhaka actively pursued more extensive diplomatic frontiers, involving a fresh round of engagement with China and Pakistan.
China, on its part, has endeavored to widen its footprints in South Asia through economic diplomacy and regional connectivity efforts.
Mr. Yunus’s state visit to Beijing in March and Bangladesh’s overture to China to invest in sensitive infrastructure projects like the Teesta River and Mongla Port indicate a policy shift from Ms Hasina’s India-leaning policy.
At the same time, Pakistan and Bangladesh have resumed direct trade, military exchanges, and high-level diplomatic talks after more than a decade of minimal contact.
Beijing is strengthening trilateral relations to advance its long-term regional interests, which include developing alternative economic corridors, expanding its presence in the Bay of Bengal, and limiting India’s strategic space in the region.
Though the trilateral mechanism is still in its nascent stages, institutionalisation of these relations portends a calculated effort of the three nations to move towards long-term collaboration beyond bilateral relations.
