DHAKA, 01 September 2022, (TON): South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun said “his country will significantly increase the size of soft loans to Bangladesh to $3 billion from the current $700 million.”

He said “this amount will be implemented during the next five years, between 2022 and 2026.”

Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) organized the event. DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin also spoke.

Previously, the size of the soft loans agreed between the two governments was $700 million during the five-year period of 2021 and 2025.

DHAKA, 01 September 2022, (TON): According to the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury “the United States has hinted that it will not object to Bangladesh importing fuel oil from Russia.”

He was speaking during a press briefing at the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday.

Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi said “I had a meeting with the US undersecretary [Jose W Fernandez]. I wanted to know if there was any restriction on the import of oil from Russia. He [Fernandez] said there were no sanctions from the United States on oil, fertiliser and food.”

He said “so, we can assume that there is no problem with importing oil from Russia or other sources.”

He added “there are some diplomatic norms involved in this case, but, as I understand it, things discussed at a minister-level meeting have importance.”

DHAKA, 01 September 2022, (TON): A Bangladesh delegation led by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has reached New York to join the UN Chiefs of Police Summit to be held at UN headquarters.

As a top troop and police-providing country, Bangladesh is looking forward to contributing to reinforcing international peace, security and development architecture.

Ambassador Muhammad Abdul Muhith, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the United Nations, received the home minister in New York.

Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed will also join the summit.

UNCOPS 2022 will bring together ministers, chiefs of police, and senior representatives of regional and professional policing organizations to UN headquarters to discuss how the UN and member states can work together to enhance global security.

NEW DELHI, 01 September 2022, (TON): According to the statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs “India and France held the consultations on UN Security Council and agreed to strengthen ongoing cooperation at the multilateral platform on issues of mutual interest.

Prakash Gupta, Joint Secretary (UN-Political) led the Indian delegation, including the officials from the Embassy of India in Paris.

Meanwhile, the French delegation was led by Ambassador Fabien Penone, Director for International Organization, Human Rights and Francophonie Department of Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France along with other senior officials.

"In keeping with India-France Strategic Partnership, both sides had an in-depth exchange of views on various thematic and country-specific issues on the agenda of the UN Security Council.

Both sides agreed to strengthen their ongoing cooperation at the multilateral platform on issues of mutual interest, including on Counter Terrorism, UN Peacekeeping and Reformed Multilateralism.

DHAKA, 01 September 2022, (TON): Bangladesh and Brunei have stressed the importance of facilitating air and shipping connectivity for giving bilateral trade, investment, and people-to-people contact a boost.

Bangladesh and Brunei agreed to facilitate greater collaboration and synergy between the private sectors and entrepreneurs of the two countries to fully harness the untapped potential.

The issues were discussed at the second Foreign Office Consultations between Bangladesh and Brunei Darussalam held in Bandar Seri Begawan.

The consultations were co-chaired by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and Permanent Secretary of Brunei Darussalam Pengiran Norhashimah Binti Pengiran Mohd Hassan.

DHAKA, 01 September 2022, (TON): South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun said “the repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland with safety and dignity is the ultimate solution to the crisis.”

He said “repatriation should happen as early as possible.”

He added that South Korea has been working very closely with the international community, especially through international agencies to help resolve the Rohingya crisis as soon as possible.

While responding to a question at the “DCAB Talk” the ambassador said it is not just Bangladesh’s issue, rather it is a regional, also an international issue.

The South Korean envoy said it is one of the biggest global challenges today and they fully agree with those who believe that voluntary, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homes in Rakhine is the ultimate solution.

By Usman Khan

AS China and the United States are at loggerhead with each other in their pursuit of global primacy, Pakistan has become a battleground between china and US for getting their economic sway in South Asia. Each needs Pakistan for its own ends, and the time has come now to make a bold decision.

In a bid to reinforce itself as a leader in world trade, China needs to have the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) completed. In the meantime, the US must keep a strategic ally to maintain its power and influence in South Asia. So there exists an acute and tense economic battle between the two economic giants of the world.

Pakistan has amassed foreign debt valued at $120 billion, with over 20 per cent of the population living below the poverty line. This seems like an unnerving figure, but not when compared to countries like Japan and the US, whose national debt sits at over 100pc of their GDP. Paying off our debt will be the least of our worries if we play our cards right.

Pakistan presently enjoys due to its geo-strategic position. That is why, China is relying heavily on our support to see the completion of the China Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC).CPEC may advantage Pakistan in the long term through economic development. However, debt write-off by the global financial institutions is a shortcut to the monetary relief we so desperately need.

In return for unconstrained access to trade routes, the government needs to negotiate with China to buy our International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans, which come with strict restraints. Once that happens, and we are not severely overburdened by debt servicing, the currency and the economy will resultantly stabilize and bring relief to the masses.

Islamabad, in the meantime, is stuck between the two biggest players in global politics. The time has come to choose finally between the two, and fast. The assertion that Pakistan is not officially joining any bloc doesn’t make sense. Therefore, it is time to choose a side and stick to an ally permanently.

The US is looking forward to compete with the growing Chinese influence. The question then is: if America is so keen on thwarting China’s great game, why doesn’t it buy off Pakistan’s debt? Even with its dwindling power, the US and its allies enjoy tremendous sway over global institutions, particularly the IMF.

Buying Pakistan’s debt will be a reliable way for Washington to stop and control China and buy itself a seat on the popular South Asian strategic table again. Due to Pakistan’s strategic-significance location at the crossroads of trade in the south- region and as gateway onward to Central Asian countries (CARS). That is why whoever bails out Pakistan at this time would have the clear upper hand in all future developments in this part of the world. On the other hand, Pakistan avoid sailing in two boats

Currently, not only the Taliban embraced China’s assistance in the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan with open arms, Taliban spiritual head has also expressed the Taliban’s interest in establishing diplomatic and economic ties with all countries, including the US. The US administration will inevitably attempt to woo the Taliban, since it has begun to realize that stepping out of South Asia is no longer feasible for US.

China should also realize that economic stability in Pakistan is a prerequisite to the success of CPEC and the BRI, or the US steps in and makes the government an offer it cannot refuse. Loyalties aside, money always talks and whoever succeeds in wooing Pakistan first will have an unspecified stronghold in the region. It is time for us to prioritize clarity, diplomacy and development over continued indecision to realize both the China and US what we can offer to them and the world at large.

By Farzana Tamannur (TON Bangladesh)

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister A. K. Abdul Momen and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks on August 2022, with both sides promising to deepen the collaboration between their development strategies as well as oppose separatism.

Momen said Bangladesh and China are associates with mutual trust and for common development, and that expanding unity and collaboration between the two sides is an irreplaceable choice for Bangladesh.

In the procedure of its appreciating the "Sonar (golden) Bangla" dream, China has always been the most trustworthy longstanding strategic partner of Bangladesh, and is eager to promote the thorough docking of the Belt and Road Initiative with Bangladesh's development tactic, speed up the joint viability study of the China-Bangladesh free trade contract, and share development and market prospects as well as advanced experiences and skills, Wang said.

Wang expanded on China's position on the Taiwan issue, expressed gratitude for Bangladesh's instantaneous support for China's legitimate claim, and stressed that China is eager to work with the massive majority of evolving countries to mutually safeguard each other's authority and regional integrity, cooperatively uphold the elementary norm governing global relations of non-interference in others' internal affairs, mutually maintain international and local peace and stability, jointly oppose as well as contain all secessionist activities, and mutually strive for a favorable external atmosphere for development.

The two sides decided to strengthen collaboration in the extents of infrastructure, economical and industrial parks, and cultural as well as people-to-people exchanges, to enlarge cooperation in local currency settlement, 5G and clean energy, and to maintain close communiqué and coordination in global and local affairs.

Wang declared that China's zero-tariff treatment for 98 percent of taxable stuffs exported to China from Bangladesh would officially take effect on Sept. 1, adding that China greets the export of Bangladeshi specialty products to it.

The two sides also had a thorough exchange of views on issues of common concern.

After the dialogs, the two foreign ministers witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on infrastructure, adversity prevention and alleviation, culture and tourism, in addition maritime affairs.

China has taken a number of solid steps in recent years, comprising an all-round opening-up tactic that allows foreign enterprises greater entrée to the domestic market and a foreign investment law that confirms a business-friendly atmosphere.

Simultaneously, China has taken new steps to toughen bilateral, multilateral, as well as regional cooperation by joining trade alliances such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the Comprehensive and Progressive Contract for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), hosting a chain of mega trade exhibitions and improving connectivity over the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Of them, China Import and Export Exhibition (Canton Fair), China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), China-ASEAN expo, Euro-Asia Economic Forum, China International Import Expo (CIIE), China-South Asia expo, and Trade Cooperation Expo, Inter-textile Shanghai Apparel Fabrics, and China Yangling Agricultural High-tech Fair are all main exhibitions that will certainly be of great consequence to developing economies like Bangladesh. It is estimated that Bangladesh's contribution in these forums would open vistas of business prospects and further improve bilateral relations as well as co-operation.

According to statistics, From January to July 2021, the complete import and export volume of China and Bangladesh was $13 billion, an increase of 58.9 percent year on year. In spite of the fact that bilateral trade favors China deeply, Bangladesh has huge potential that has yet to be realized. Dr. Ma Razzaque, head of Research and Policy Addition for Development (RAPID), conducted a study that shows Bangladesh could earn $25 billion if it could grab only a 1 percent share of China's imports.

It is mentionable that China imported goods worth $2.4 trillion in the 2019-20 fiscal year and Bangladesh's share was very irrelevant (0.05 percent). In the next 10 years, China is estimated to import an entire of $22 trillion worth of goods. Henceforth, China's Expo platform will offer a great prospect for Bangladesh to explore the massive Chinese market and increase exports to bridge the bilateral trade gap and upsurge revenue.

Bangladesh's main export items, ready-made garments in addition to others containing leather goods, jute and jute goods, farming products, pharmaceutical products, frozen and live fish, plastic, handicrafts, sports goods, and tea have strong competitive edge in the global market. But its limited exports destination (mostly the US and EU) might place Bangladesh in a more challenging place. Since, the US has suspended GSP for Bangladesh in June 2013 as well as India imposed anti-dumping duty on the export of Bangladeshi jute goods in January 2017 for a period of five years.

Also to note, there is no assurance to get into the EU's GSP+ system on expiry of the EBA initiative afterward graduation from the LDC group in 2026. Among such looming economic ambiguity, the good news is that China has in case duty-free entree to 97 percent of Bangladeshi produces (an entire 8,256 products) from July 2020. The expos are significant ways to learn about Chinese customer preferences and to tap into the vast China market.

Contributing these expos Bangladesh could display and popularize its flagship products and diversify its export destination worldwide as a big number of buyers, businesspersons and businesses from Europe, America, Australia, Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Africa attend there. For instance, the China-ASEAN Expo (CAEXPO) might give Bangladesh trilateral trade development opportunity to enter China and the ASEAN market which has a combined population of 2 billion as well as a GDP of $18.5 trillion.

Like Bangladesh, South Asian countries, can furthermore use the expos to promote their brands, build new trade image as well as expand their business prospects in China and the international market. Along with financial and commercial gains, such platforms would forge sturdier cultural collaboration which will further improve the bilateral companionable relations and promote conglomerate for common prosperity.

WASHINGTON, 31 August 2022, (TON): The Department of State is pleased to announce the release of the 2021 Digest of United States Practice in International Law, covering developments during calendar year 2021.

Edited by the Office of the Legal Adviser, the Digest provides the public with a record of the views and practice of the U.S. Government in public and private international law.

The Digest traces its history back to an 1877 treatise by John Cadwalader, which was followed by multi-volume encyclopedias covering selected areas of international law.

The Digest later came to be known to many as Whiteman’s after Marjorie Whiteman, the editor from 1963-1971.

MELBOURNE, 31 August 2022, (TON): American embassy in Australia said “the Solomon Islands has suspended all visits from the US Navy, heightening concerns over the growing influence of China in the region.

The Pacific nation has been expanding ties with China in recent years, switching diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 2019 and signing a security pact with the Asian power in April.

Western governments are wary that the islands could provide China with a military foothold in a strategically important part of the world.