China has no debt trap in Bangladesh: Ambassador Li Ziming

Dhaka: China’s ambassador to Dhaka, Li Ziming, said that the economic condition of Bangladesh is much better than that of Sri Lanka and there is no Chinese debt trap in Bangladesh.
He made this claim in response to a question at the DECAB-Talk program organized at the National Press Club in the capital on Wednesday afternoon.
Economists are worried about the increase in the amount of Chinese debt in addition to the increase in the cost of mega projects.
Ambassador Li Ziming said, “There is no Chinese debt trap anywhere in the world, not just in Bangladesh. Western commercial loans and loans from multinational financial institutions account for the bulk of Sri Lanka’s foreign debt. Less than 10 percent of that country’s (Sri Lanka) foreign debt is Chinese debt. The same is true for Bangladesh.” , only 6 percent of foreign debt is China’s debt. Considering that, I would say that Bangladesh is in a much better position than Sri Lanka. Bangladesh’s total foreign debt is also much lower.
Stating that China’s approach to relations with Bangladesh is promising, he said, “We are ready to work with Bangladesh for a bright future.”
Regarding the Rohingya crisis, Ambassador Li said that “China is making efforts to quickly repatriate the Rohingyas to their homeland Myanmar. But we have to wait until peace returns to Rakhine”
China wants to build large industrial enterprises in Bangladesh
Ambassador Li Ziming also said that China wants to build large industrial enterprises in Bangladesh. China and Bangladesh are good neighbors of each other. Both countries are each other’s loyal friends and reliable partners. Bangladesh and China have always understood and supported each other’s fundamental interests of sovereignty, security and territorial integrity.
On the Taiwan issue, Li Jiming said, hopefully the government and people of Bangladesh will continue to adhere to the ‘one China policy’. Bangladesh will understand and support China’s legal and fair position.
We are grateful to the government and people of Bangladesh for their longstanding commitment to the One China policy and Bangladesh’s opposition to Taiwan independence. China and Bangladesh will work together to safeguard regional peace, stability and prosperity.
Chinese Ambassador Li Ziming accused Western media of a global campaign of persecution against Uyghur Muslims.
In response to a question, he said, “there are allegations of terrorist activities against those who have been taken action among the Uyghur Muslim community in China.
Claiming that no action is taken against anyone in China for religious and ethnic reasons, he said that there are about 2.5 million Muslims living in China. A small number of them are accused of terrorism. Mentioning that 5 Uighur Muslims attacked the railway station in Kunming, the hometown of the ambassador, he said that action has been taken against those who have committed such a heinous incident.
AKM Moin Uddin, General Secretary of the organization gave the welcome speech at the event moderated by DECAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus. (UNI)