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Memri
11-07-2025
- Business
- Memri
China Hosts First Trilateral Meeting With Pakistan And Bangladesh, Seeking To Isolate India In Its Own Neighborhood
On June 19, 2025, China hosted its first trilateral meeting with Bangladesh and Pakistan, which was aimed at enhancing trilateral cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, and maritime affairs between the three countries, but also revealing its intent to isolate India in its own neighborhood. The meeting was held in Kunming in Yunnan province of China. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Pakistani Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui, and Bangladeshi acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique attended the meeting. Amna Baloch, who is the Pakistani foreign secretary, an official who reports to the foreign minister, participated in the first phase of the meeting via a video link. According to a report in the Indian media outlet Economic Times, Pakistan is strengthening its ties with Bangladesh under the interim administration headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus by not only seeking to firm up defense partnership but also to push trade and investment ties.[1] "Since last November [2024], the Chittagong Port has received two ships carrying commercial items from Pakistan and there are attempts to scuttle India's access to the port," the report read.[2] The June 19 meeting: (Left to Right) Bangladeshi Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidon, and Pakistani Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui Before August 2024, when Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled to India amid protests, it was not possible for Pakistan to build relations with Bangladesh, the Bangla-speaking eastern region that split from Pakistan in the 1971 War. Although the trilateral forum launched by China appears harmless, it may have strategic implications for India's foreign policy in the region. "The use of trilaterals underscores China's fresh attempts at making Pakistan a stakeholder in the region and keeping New Delhi preoccupied with immediate concerns," foreign policy experts Harsh V. Pant and Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy wrote recently.[3] In a joint article, the two experts noted that before the regime changes in Afghanistan in August 2021 and in Bangladesh in August 2024, "both countries were staunch supporters of India's fight against both Pakistan and its state-sponsored terrorism. With the change in regimes, however, Pakistan and China have attempted to draw both countries [Afghanistan and Bangladesh] closer to their orbit."[4] While India has built its relationship with the Taliban rulers of Afghanistan recently, China has sought to counter India's influence by hosting another trilateral meet with Pakistan and Afghanistan. On May 21, a month before the trilateral meet involving Bangladesh, Beijing hosted a trilateral meeting attended by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, and Afghan acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.[5] Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Afghan Taliban acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi attended the May 21 meeting. An Indian media report noted: "China's role as convenor of this trilateral format also signals Beijing's intent to reshape regional order through alternative multilateral formats to counterbalance India's influence in the region and advance its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and regional influence with more flexible, cooperative frameworks."[6] Commenting on India's isolation amid the trilateral platforms launched by China, Harsh V. Pant and Aditya Gowdara Shivamurthy observed: "The developments in the region demonstrate, once again, that China, and not Pakistan, is India's biggest challenge. With both Pakistan and China confronting a confident India, China sees an opportunity to challenge India through the trilateral nexus. At a time when India is seeking support from South Asian countries to fight terrorism, Chinese efforts will create new setbacks. "South Asian countries will thus have to learn to balance between India and China, as Beijing uses Islamabad to create new complexities in the region. On its part, Delhi will have to continue to express redlines and convey the point that any misadventures by its neighbors could have severe economic, military, and political costs."[7]
India Gazette
26-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
India closely monitoring China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that it is keeping a constant watch on developments in India's neighbourhood, especially in light of the recent trilateral meeting involving China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Speaking at a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'We maintain a constant watch on the developments in our neighbourhood that have a bearing on our interests and our security, our relations with individual countries, while they stand on their own footing, take into account the evolving context as well.' The meeting held on June 19 in Yunnan, China, took place on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum. It was attended by Bangladesh's acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, and Pakistan's Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's foreign secretary to China, Amna Baloch, participated via video link, as reported by Daily Star. As reported by The Daily Star, Bangladesh called it an 'informal meeting', Pakistan termed it as 'the inaugural meeting of the trilateral mechanism'. In their statements, China and Pakistan stated that the three sides agreed to explore and implement cooperation projects in areas such as trade, maritime affairs, climate change, agriculture, human resources, education, and culture. When asked about India's recent restriction imposed on trade with Bangladesh, the MEA spokesperson said that the decisions were based on 'Bangladesh's own quest for fairness, equal treatment and reciprocity.' 'The trade-related amendments announced by India in respect of Bangladesh were based on Bangladesh's own quest for fairness, equal treatment and reciprocity. We await resolution of the underlying issues pending with the Bangladeshi side for a long time, these issues have been raised by India at several structured meetings earlier, including at the Commerce Secretary level talks,' Jaiswal said. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed restrictions on imports from Bangladesh through land ports after Bangladesh imposed import restrictions on Indian staples like yarn and rice. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's restrictions on imports from Bangladesh via land ports will impact goods worth USD 770 million, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of total bilateral imports. The move limits the entry of products such as ready-made garments and processed foods to specific seaports, an official press release by the Ministry stated and is widely viewed as a response to Bangladesh's recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo, marking a shift from previously cooperative trade relations. Under the new directive, all kinds of ready-made garments from Bangladesh can now only be imported through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, with entry through land ports no longer permitted. (ANI)
India Gazette
26-06-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
"We maintain constant watch": MEA on China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral meeting
New Delhi [India], June 26 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that it is keeping a constant watch on developments in India's neighbourhood, especially in light of the recent trilateral meeting involving China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Speaking at a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, 'We maintain a constant watch on the developments in our neighbourhood that have a bearing on our interests and our security, our relations with individual countries, while they stand on their own footing, take into account the evolving context as well.' The meeting held on June 19 in Yunnan, China, took place on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum. It was attended by Bangladesh's acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, and Pakistan's Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's foreign secretary to China, Amna Baloch, participated via video link, as reported by Daily Star. As reported by The Daily Star, Bangladesh called it an 'informal meeting', Pakistan termed it as 'the inaugural meeting of the trilateral mechanism'. In their statements, China and Pakistan stated that the three sides agreed to explore and implement cooperation projects in areas such as trade, maritime affairs, climate change, agriculture, human resources, education, and culture. When asked about India's recent restriction imposed on trade with Bangladesh, the MEA spokesperson said that the decisions were based on 'Bangladesh's own quest for fairness, equal treatment and reciprocity.' 'The trade-related amendments announced by India in respect of Bangladesh were based on Bangladesh's own quest for fairness, equal treatment and reciprocity. We await resolution of the underlying issues pending with the Bangladeshi side for a long time, these issues have been raised by India at several structured meetings earlier, including at the Commerce Secretary level talks,' Jaiswal said. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed restrictions on imports from Bangladesh through land ports after Bangladesh imposed import restrictions on Indian staples like yarn and rice. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's restrictions on imports from Bangladesh via land ports will impact goods worth USD 770 million, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of total bilateral imports. The move limits the entry of products such as ready-made garments and processed foods to specific seaports, an official press release by the Ministry stated and is widely viewed as a response to Bangladesh's recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo, marking a shift from previously cooperative trade relations. Under the new directive, all kinds of ready-made garments from Bangladesh can now only be imported through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, with entry through land ports no longer permitted. (ANI)
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'We maintain constant watch': MEA on China-Pakistan-Bangladesh trilateral meeting
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that it is keeping a constant watch on developments in India's neighbourhood, especially in light of the recent trilateral meeting involving China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh . Speaking at a press briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We maintain a constant watch on the developments in our neighbourhood that have a bearing on our interests and our security, our relations with individual countries, while they stand on their own footing, take into account the evolving context as well." The meeting held on June 19 in Yunnan, China, took place on the sidelines of the 9th China-South Asia Exposition and the 6th China-South Asia Cooperation Forum. It was attended by Bangladesh's acting foreign secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, and Pakistan's Additional Secretary (Asia Pacific) Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's foreign secretary to China, Amna Baloch, participated via video link, as reported by Daily Star. As reported by The Daily Star, Bangladesh called it an "informal meeting", Pakistan termed it as "the inaugural meeting of the trilateral mechanism". In their statements, China and Pakistan stated that the three sides agreed to explore and implement cooperation projects in areas such as trade, maritime affairs, climate change, agriculture, human resources, education, and culture. Live Events When asked about India's recent restriction imposed on trade with Bangladesh, the MEA spokesperson said that the decisions were based on "Bangladesh's own quest for fairness, equal treatment and reciprocity." "The trade-related amendments announced by India in respect of Bangladesh were based on Bangladesh's own quest for fairness, equal treatment and reciprocity. We await resolution of the underlying issues pending with the Bangladeshi side for a long time, these issues have been raised by India at several structured meetings earlier, including at the Commerce Secretary level talks," Jaiswal said. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry imposed restrictions on imports from Bangladesh through land ports after Bangladesh imposed import restrictions on Indian staples like yarn and rice. According to the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's restrictions on imports from Bangladesh via land ports will impact goods worth USD 770 million, accounting for nearly 42 per cent of total bilateral imports. The move limits the entry of products such as ready-made garments and processed foods to specific seaports, an official press release by the Ministry stated and is widely viewed as a response to Bangladesh's recent curbs on Indian yarn, rice, and other goods, along with its decision to impose a transit fee on Indian cargo, marking a shift from previously cooperative trade relations. Under the new directive, all kinds of ready-made garments from Bangladesh can now only be imported through Nhava Sheva and Kolkata seaports, with entry through land ports no longer permitted.
Indian Express
21-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
China, Pakistan and Bangladesh hold first trilateral meeting, discuss ways to boost ‘cooperation'
China, Pakistan and Bangladesh held their first trilateral meeting Thursday involving senior foreign ministry officials, China's Foreign Ministry said. The meeting took place in Kunming, the capital of China's southern Yunnan province. This is the second trilateral dialogue that China has launched in India's neighbourhood, following a similar meeting between the foreign ministers of China, Pakistan and Afghanistan last month. The meeting in Kunming was attended by China's Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, Bangladesh's Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique and Pakistan's Additional Foreign Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui. Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch took part in the first part of the discussions by video link, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. Sun Weidong said that both Bangladesh and Pakistan are 'good neighbours, good friends, and good partners of China.' He added that both countries are key partners for China's Belt and Road cooperation projects. According to the press release, the officials exchanged views on strengthening cooperation between the three countries. They agreed to set up a working group to follow up on the ideas and agreements discussed at the meeting. Sun Weidong also said that closer cooperation between China, Pakistan and Bangladesh 'aligns with the common interests of the three peoples' and can help contribute to peace, stability, development and prosperity across the region. The three sides are expected to hold further meetings to build on this initial dialogue and explore practical steps for future cooperation, the press release said.
