On strategic tight rope
by Mohammad Amjad Hossain
IN Asia, two economic and military powers are on the rise: China and India. Both these countries are huge geographically as well as in terms of population. While India has been flexing its economic and political muscles in South and East Asia, China has not been a silent bystander. China has also been expanding its sphere of influence in Asia as it progresses to become a global economic and military power. Both the countries are nuclear powers. It is evident that China has been making serious progress in expanding its influence by building up naval bases around the Indian Ocean and South China Sea, which has prompted both India and the United States to develop strategic convergence. Against the backdrop of this scenario, Bangladesh, sandwiched between the two Asian giants, has no other alternative but to walk a tight rope in conducting its relations with both India and China.
Bangladesh attracts both India and China as she has demonstrated steady economic growth with an expanding market of over 150 million people. Both India and China are exploring markets to sell their products. In this area, China has advanced much more than India.
Bangladesh has had troubled relations with India since independence. Mistrust and suspicion between the two neighbouring countries have constantly hampered the process of developing friendly relations. Disputes over the sharing of water from the Ganges and other common rivers, demarcation of land and maritime boundaries, exchange of enclaves coupled with accusation and counteraccusation of harbouring insurgents have lingered on.
In 1974, Bangladesh signed a land boundary agreement with India, but India has not yet fulfilled its obligation. The same is the case with exchange of enclaves. As pressure has been mounting on it from its north-east region for independence and China's claim on some parts of its Arunachal province, India now seems to be paying attention towards developing relations with Bangladesh for its own national interest. Ironically, India could not maintain friendly relations with any of the neighbouring countries around its border. Its image in the neighbouring countries remains questionable.
On the other hand, Bangladesh-China relations are mutually beneficial. Bangladesh relations with China have begun from the changeover of the administration of Bangladesh in August 1975. Since then, relations between Bangladesh and China have expanded in every sector. The contribution of China in building Bangladesh infrastructure is significant. China is planning to help build an eighth bridge in Bangladesh, apart from another fertiliser factory. Over the past few years, China has turned out to be the biggest trading partner of Bangladesh. It has granted duty-free access to some 84 products of Bangladesh as goodwill gesture whereas India is still reluctant to give such privilege to her next-door neighbour.
As requested by the Bangladesh government, China has succeeded in persuading the Myanmar government to build a highway linking Chittagong in Bangladesh with it via Myanmar. The tri-nation highway would certainly bring benefit to commercial relations. China is likely to build a deep seaport at Sonadia Island near Chittagong. During the visit of the Bangladesh prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, to China from March 17 to 21 last year, China agreed on:
• Construction of Chinese Exhibition Centre with car parking facilities,
• Construction of road and rail infrastructure connecting Chittagong with Kunming through Gundum of Myanmar,
• Construction of 8th Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge,
• Water purification project in Pagla,
• Financial and technical support for the construction of power plant in Bangladesh, strengthening organisational cooperation between China National Hybrid Rice Research Centre and Bangladesh Rice Research Institutes, and
• Waiving Chinese loan
These are positive developments in Bangladesh-China relations. In other words, Bangladesh's infrastructure, which includes roads, bridges, power plants and industrial complexes, is built and is in the process of being built with Chinese assistance.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, a regional organisation of 1.47 billion people, could have been successful if the countries that comprise the organisation were not prevented from building friendly relations by India's arrogant and hegemonic attitude. Instead of strengthening SAARC, India has moved towards building relations with ASEAN. This is the real picture of the situation in South Asia.
Bangladesh's attempt to develop relations with China is viewed by some Indian commentators as a potential source of regional tensions. One commented that China had been maintaining relations with ULFA of Assam and National Socialist Council of Nagaland in Dhaka and China's engagement with Bangladesh had the potential of influencing security interests. Another commentator holds the opinion that 'Beijing's imminent presence in Chittagong and Dhaka's interests to Chinese offer to Sonadia port construction would inevitably pose as serious geo-strategic threat to India and affect New Delhi's maritime interests.' These commentators are talking about the Shiliguri corridor which links mainland India by rail, road and air with its north-east region, a part of which (90,000 square kilometres) in Arunachal Pradesh is claimed by China. They note that this has become a significant source of tension between China and India.
Viewed from this perception, Bangladesh should maintain, as much as possible, friendly relations with both India and China without compromising national interests. However, the Awami League-led government should take a bold step in resolving border and maritime problems with India. Incursion from Indian borders and grabbing of land have become serious problems for Bangladesh. National interests of the country should be the uppermost concern of the government in power.
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Mohammad Amjad Hossain, a retired diplomat
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