Bangladesh has 'balanced, independent' foreign policy, is 'not China's 'tail': Foreign Minister Momen
Bangladesh follows a «balanced and independent» foreign policy and is not subservient to any country, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said on Saturday, emphasising that his country was «not China's tail». Momen also said that its relations with next-door neighbour India are «rock-solid» and added, «We are in a golden chapter in our relations with India». «Some people think we are rushing towards China, but (actually) we are not heading towards anyone,» Momen said while speaking at an interaction with members of the Diplomatic Reporters Association of Bangladesh (DCAB) at the Foreign Service Academy here.
He called China a development partner but ruled out any possibility that Bangladesh could be exposed to a "Chinese debt trap", an idea which, he said, was being propagated by some groups or 'pundits'. «This is a wrong perception. Some pundits say this and many believe it, especially some foreign institutions.
Under no circumstance, will we fall into the Chinese debt trap», Momen said. The foreign minister added that Bangladesh is not subservient to any country and particularly Dhaka never tilted towards China as it maintains a «balanced and independent» foreign policy. «We are not anyone's tail...We are not China's tail,» he said.
The foreign minister said Bangladesh was very prudent and careful in taking foreign loans and «we do not take unnecessary loans». He called Dhaka's ties with India «rock-solid» and added, «We are in a golden chapter in our relations with India». He said relations between Bangladesh and the US are good as well and according to US President Joe Biden himself, Washington wants to improve relations with Bangladesh.
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