China sees 'no quick fix’ to Rohingya crisis

Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh Zhang Zuo addresses a press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday. Photo: UNB
Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh Zhang Zuo addresses a press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday. Photo: UNB

China has claimed that they have no ‘personal interest’ in the Rohingya issue rather they are making genuine efforts to help Bangladesh and Myanmar to resolve the issue through friendly negotiations.

“China has no personal interest in that issue. We are making genuine efforts to help Bangladesh and Myanmar. Our suggestion is genuine, objective and constructive,” Chinese ambassador in Bangladesh Zhang Zuo told a press conference on Wednesday.

The newly appointed envoy said that there is no quick fix to the problem as it is a complicated issue having historical, ethnical and religious background.

Ambassador Zuo laid emphasis on continuous friendly interactions on this issue between Bangladesh and Myanmar and finding solutions through bilateral discussion.

“We will remain impartial to either side,” he said.

He identified poverty as common enemy of the friendly countries and said, “We need to step up our regional cooperation (to eradicate poverty).

The Chinese ambassador, who arrived in Dhaka in February, laid emphasis on promoting development to both China-Bangladesh to resolve the issue in Rakhine State.

Bangladesh and Myanmar signed a document on 16 January on ‘Physical Arrangement’ to facilitate the return of Rohingyas to their homeland from Bangladesh.

The ‘Physical Arrangement’ stipulates that the repatriation will be completed preferably within two years from the start of repatriation.

Myanmar has so far verified merely 400 Rohingyas from the list of 8,032 for possible repatriation from Bangladesh to their homeland in Rakhine state.

Ambassador Zuo acknowledged the progress made between Bangladesh and Myanmar on repatriation agreement.

He said they are urging Myanmar to attach greater importance to address the first repatriation list handed over by the Bangladesh side as soon as possible and receive and settle them at an early date.

Mentioning China’s contribution to Bangladesh and Mynamar, ambassador Zuo said as the rainy season approaches, Rohingyas in Bangladesh are facing new challenges. “We are willing to do what we can to help them.”

Responding to a question, Zuo said China has a close attention to the development and political situation in Bangladesh.

“We hope to see smooth general election in Bangladesh and we hope Bangladesh will have steady development,” he said.

The ambassador said China respects the choice made by the Bangladeshi people and hopes that the strategic cooperative partnership between China and Bangladesh will move forward to new scale.

The Chinese ambassador said he will do his best to help implement the important consensus on cooperation reached by the leaders from the two countries, and to promote the development of Bangladesh-China strategic partnership in a better way.

Since the beginning of 2018, he said, China and Bangladesh have been maintaining frequent high-level exchanges.

This year, the envoy said, Bangladesh and China will hold the 12th diplomatic consultation, the second Bangladesh-China dialogue on maritime cooperation, joint working group meeting on China-Bangladesh free trade agreement and the first round of consular consultation, among many other important bilateral events.