China wants peace, stability in Bangladesh

China expects Bangladesh to maintain peace and stability, which is essential for development, said Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Li Jiming yesterday.

He said China's policy is not to intervene in the internal affairs of foreign countries. Therefore, China is also not interested in Bangladesh's political affairs.

However, peace and stability are essential for the development of any country, and so China wants the same for Bangladesh, Jiming said.

The diplomat was speaking at a seminar on the 20th National Congress of China, organised by Bangladesh-China Silk Road Forum at a city hotel.

Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon and Bangladesh-China Silk Road Forum President and Samyabadi Dal General Secretary Dilip Barua were present.

Li Jiming said democracy does not only mean the western style of liberal democracy. China also values democracy.

Asked about the Teesta River Comprehensive Management Project, Li Jiming said China would consider it positively if Bangladesh is determined to engage.

However, he said, they have information that there is some level of hesitation from the Bangladesh side because of outside pressure.

He did not mention what the outside pressure is, but added that China is cautious about the matter due to geo-political sensitivities surrounding it.

Bangladesh could not sign the Teesta water-sharing deal with India even though it was ready in 2011, due to opposition from Indian Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Jiming visited Teesta river in Rangpur on October 9, as he wanted to see whether the local government and people want the project.

The Chinese envoy said as per the feasibility study of the project, no embankment will be built close to the border, and this project will not harm upper riparian countries.

On the Rohingya crisis, Jiming said China is playing a mediating role for early repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh, but a conducive condition is a must for that.

He fears a regional crisis will emerge if the Rohingya crisis is not addressed. Some quarters do not want a constructive way of handling the Rohingya crisis, he said.

The China-Bangladesh strategic relationship will be further deepened through the 20th Congress of the Chinese Communist Party.