Everybody knows that China is the ‘All-weather friend’ of Pakistan. China has been maintaining its good relations with Pakistan since the 1950s. Chinese PM Zhou Enlai and President Liu Shaoqi had visited Pakistan several times. Pakistani policymakers have also been visiting China from time to time. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has added more strength to China’s ties with Pakistan.
On the other hand, China has very warm relations with Bangladesh now. Bangladesh has strategic ties with China. Business and defense relations between China-Bangladesh are very high. Bangladesh imports from China hugely and buys most of its military equipment from Beijing. BD PM Sheikh Hasina Wajed also visited Beijing several times.
So it can be assumed easily that China has very good relations with both Pakistan and Bangladesh. China has huge investments in both Bangladesh and Pakistan. Pakistan is a bordering country of China, and Bangladesh is also very close to China geographically.
However, Bangladesh has strained relations with Pakistan. There have been some bilateral problems between Bangladesh and Pakistan, such as the 1971 chapter, allegations of interference in internal affairs, and so on. But these problems are not eternal problems regarding trengthening the ties. There may be solutions to these problems. But a holistic diplomatic approach is very needed. A trustworthy and reliable mediator is needed in this regard.
Pakistan and China should utilize the approach at his moment. This is the high time for Pakistan and China to understand it. China should take a great initiative to start bilateral talks between Bangladesh-Pakistan. Pakistan should understand the reality. Pakistan and China should utilize this golden opportunity. Pakistan should solve the problems diplomatically with Bangladesh fulfilling the demand of Bangladesh. China as a mediator would benefit from the improved ties
China can play a very effective role in this regard. Because China is reliable and trustworthy to both Pakistan and Bangladesh, it can be a true mediator to strengthen the strained ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- As a rising superpower, China has some responsibilities to ease the regional tensions and unrests. China has the responsibility to mediate a crisis.
- China has very good relations with Bangladesh and Pakistan. So, it would be very easy for China to bolster the strained ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- China has huge business investment in both Bangladesh and Pakistan. To ensure its own interest, it should mediate.
- China can offer Bangladesh to utilize CPEC and the Sri Lankan Hambantota port. Ultimately China would benefit.
- If China does it, it will gain international prestige as a mediator. Acceptance of the Chinese approach would broaden. China can counter the Western narrative that China can’t lead the world.
- To decrease Bangladesh’s dependence on India, China should mediate to strengthen strained Bangladesh-Pakistan strained ties as soon as possible.
But how? China can arrange a trilateral meeting amongst China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. China can manage a bilateral meeting. A sideline meeting is also another platform. For example, the Belt and Road Initiative summit can be the platform. Policymakers from both parties can join the sideline meeting. China can use a holistic diplomatic approach. China can use its envoys to both countries.
It is possible for China to mediate the strained relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan. China has experience. China mediated the Kim-Trump meeting in Sentosa island in Singapore in 2018. If China wants this, they will be successful. China will be able to make Bangladesh and Pakistan understand that warm relations are very much necessary for the greater interest of 370.25 million people in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Both parties have to realize the current world scenario. Pakistan should hear and fulfill the demands of Bangladesh. Because Pakistan has more responsibilities to Bangladesh in this regard. Bangladesh is a Muslim country. It is going to be a South Asian economic miracle.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan had in July 2020 spoken to his Bangladesh counterpart over the phone and expressed his government’s desire to “deepen fraternal relations on the basis of mutual trust, mutual respect and sovereign equality”. It was also reported on 4 December 2020 that Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Ahmed Siddiqui called on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed in Dhaka. President Dr Arif Alvi said to the envoy that ‘Pakistan is keen to improve ties with Bangladesh and called for utilising all avenues for improving the bilateral relationship.’Then there was Pakistan’s mango diplomacy towards Bangladesh on August 10. Bangladesh and Pakistan can start to strengthen the ties through such kinds of little initiatives like ‘Mango Diplomacy’. So, every effort is appreciable.
India’s National Register of Citizens (NRC), Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) bills has created distance between Bangladesh and India. In the onion crisis moment in Bangladesh in 2019, India didn’t agree to provide onions to Bangladesh. Bangladesh had to export from Pakistan, Egypt and Myanmar. India’s role was very self-serving. Bangladesh understood the reality at that period.
The Rohingya refugee crisis has created distance between Bangladesh and Myanmar. The Rohingya repatriation process is stagnant. Myanmar’s military regime is not taking Rohingyas (citizens of Myanmar) into Myanmar. Bangladesh seeks assistance from the international community in this regard to pressurize Myanmar. Possibility of Bangladesh’s connection with West Asian, Central Asian, Eurasian states and the central and western parts of China through Gwadar port, using the CPEC project, can bring Bangladesh-Pakistan under an umbrella to strengthen the strained ties.
Pakistan and China should utilize the approach at his moment. This is the high time for Pakistan and China to understand it. China should take a great initiative to start bilateral talks between Bangladesh-Pakistan. Pakistan should understand the reality. Pakistan and China should utilize this golden opportunity. Pakistan should solve the problems diplomatically with Bangladesh fulfilling the demand of Bangladesh. China as a mediator would benefit from the improved ties.
