by
Dhaka, June 26, 2025: Bangladesh’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain has categorically denied speculations about the formation of a tripartite alliance involving Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan. Responding to journalists’ questions at the Foreign Ministry on Thursday, he clarified that a recent meeting of foreign secretaries from the three countries, held on June 19 in Kunming, China, was not aimed at forming a political alliance but was focused on discussing connectivity and trade expansion.
Hossain explained that the meeting took place on the sidelines of an exhibition in Kunming, where the foreign secretaries discussed practical matters such as connectivity and economic opportunities. “We are not forming any alliance. This was primarily a Chinese initiative and purely an official-level engagement, not a political one,” he stated.
Addressing speculations surrounding the meeting, Hossain urged against over-interpretation, noting that Bangladesh’s official statement clearly outlined the scope of the discussions. While China and Pakistan proposed the formation of a ‘Joint Working Group’ (JWG), Bangladesh’s statement made no mention of it. When questioned about this, Hossain said, “We are not denying anything, but our statement makes it clear that this is not a major structural initiative.” He added that any future progress would be communicated transparently.
Responding to whether the meeting targeted any third country, Hossain firmly stated, “I can assure you, this was not aimed at any third party.” He further noted that Bangladesh would be open to similar engagements with other countries, such as India or Nepal, emphasizing that the focus was on enhancing connectivity and economic cooperation.
Hossain acknowledged that the involvement of China and Pakistan might have sparked some speculation, but he remarked that such discussions might not have attracted as much attention if they involved less controversial countries. “The reality is that three countries sat together. There’s no scope for excessive speculation just because of the names of these countries,” he concluded.
AI/MR
