Pakistan, China and Bangladesh on Thursday launched a trilateral cooperation mechanism, pledging to pursue “win-win cooperation.”
In a statement issued after the inaugural meeting of the Bangladesh-China-Pakistan Vice Foreign Minister/Foreign Secretary mechanism, the Foreign Office said the meeting was attended by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh’s acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique and Pakistan’s Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui.
Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch participated in the initial session via video link.
In her remarks, read the statement, Baloch commended the Chinese side for convening the inaugural meeting of the trilateral mechanism. Noting the common aspirations of the three sides for people-centric development, she expressed Pakistan’s desire for a deeper engagement between China and South Asian countries.
Expressing satisfaction at the upward trajectory of bilateral ties, the foreign secretary also conveyed Pakistan’s readiness to work with China and Bangladesh to enhance ties in trade and investment, agriculture, digital economy, environment protection, marine sciences, green infrastructure, culture, education and people-to-people exchanges.
The three sides agreed that trilateral cooperation would be guided by the principles of openness, inclusivity, good neighborliness, mutual respect and trust, while working towards win-win cooperation. The three sides also agreed to establish a joint working group to implement the understandings reached during the meeting.
The trilateral platform marks an ongoing thaw of ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh since the ouster of Sheikh Hasina last year. The growing bonhomie has raised concerns in India, which has seen its role in Bangladesh shrink.