Bangladesh, China Discuss Myanmar Corridor Projects in Dhaka — SkimNews
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- Bangladesh's junior foreign minister Shama Obaed Islam met Chinese Ambassador Yao Wen in Dhaka on Monday to discuss a proposed Bangladesh-China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, which is separate from the earlier proposed Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor.
- The talks covered the Chinese Economic Zone, development of Mongla Port, a proposed 1,000-bed hospital in Rangpur, renewable energy cooperation, education, human-resource development, and women's empowerment.
- The proposed corridor would give China an additional trade and connectivity route to the Bay of Bengal by linking south-western China through Myanmar to Bangladesh.
- Islam recalled Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's recent visit to China and expressed appreciation for Beijing's continued support in infrastructure, human development, and capacity building.
- Ambassador Yao Wen reaffirmed Beijing's commitment to Dhaka as a "trusted partner and friend" and invited Islam to lead a delegation of Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs to China at a mutually convenient time.
Why it matters: The new corridor explicitly drops India, which was included in the earlier BCIM plan — a notable shift that gives Beijing a Bay of Bengal trade route bypassing New Delhi while expanding Dhaka-Beijing cooperation across Mongla Port, a 1,000-bed Rangpur hospital, and energy projects.
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