China Proposes Economic Corridor Linking China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar

Beijing has proposed an economic corridor which would link China and Bangladesh as well as Myanmar.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman discussed the regional connectivity project during the latter’s first official visit to Beijing, on Friday.

A Chinese Foreign Ministry communique on Xi’s meeting with Rahman said China “stands ready to work with Bangladesh to carry out high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.”

It added that Beijing is ready to cooperate to “advance the development of the China-Myanmar-Bangladesh Economic Corridor for greater regional connectivity.”

Reuters reported that the corridor would connect China’s Yunnan Province with the two countries.

Mahdi Amin, spokesperson for the Bangladeshi Prime Minister’s Office, said Xi and Rahman addressed the proposed connectivity project at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

“President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman discussed connectivity in detail. A proposal was made on how an economic corridor could be developed linking Bangladesh, Myanmar, and China,” he said.

The Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2013 by President Xi, is an infrastructure and economic development program intended to boost connectivity across Asia, Africa, and Europe through investments in railways, ports, highways, and energy projects. It is modeled on the ancient Silk Road which connected China with the Roman Empire.

Bangladesh first ⁠joined Xi’s initiative in 2016. In a joint communique issued during Rahman’s visit, China and Bangladesh have vowed to promote high-quality cooperation and work together to realize their goals of modernization.

The two leaders also announced the decision to build a China-Bangladesh community, elevating bilateral relations to a higher level.

A pact on the China-Bangladesh Mongla Port Economic Zone was also signed, during an Invest Bangladesh seminar in Beijing.

A Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor was proposed by China in 2015, as part of the Belt and Road initiative. India ignored the proposal and in 2019 Beijing dropped the idea.