China has again made clear that it will continue its support for the Teesta River Comprehensive Management and Restoration Project (TRCMRP). At the same time, it stressed that cooperation between Bangladesh and China is not aimed at any third party and should remain free of third-party influence.
Responding to a question about India’s concerns at a news conference in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said: “I want to stress that China-Bangladesh cooperation is not aimed at any third party.” The Teesta basin lies very close to India’s northeast, and the project’s geographical location is among the reasons for India’s concern over the joint Dhaka-Beijing initiative.
According to China, the Teesta project is an important public-welfare initiative for Bangladesh. Guo said the comprehensive management and restoration of the Teesta River was a highly important public-welfare project for Bangladesh, and China was ready to provide as much assistance as possible. He added that China was ready to further strengthen the alignment of development strategies with Bangladesh and to expand exchanges and cooperation in areas including the economy, trade, water-resource management and public welfare.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman said experts from the two countries would, for the first time, jointly conduct a technical feasibility study of the project. Both sides had agreed on this, he said, adding that the matter had not previously reached such an advanced stage. China has said it would provide maximum assistance if the feasibility study proves the project viable.
Dhaka and Beijing have reached an understanding to expand cooperation in managing Bangladesh’s rivers, including the Teesta. India is expected to watch closely for any future announcements on the Teesta project.
In January this year, the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) and Chinese state-owned PowerChina signed an agreement extending the term of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), advancing the process of implementing the Teesta project.
India’s main concern stems from the Teesta River’s location near the strategically sensitive Siliguri Corridor — also known as the “Chicken’s Neck” — and China’s growing involvement there.
Greater influence by an outside power such as China in that region could heighten India’s security concerns, since the Siliguri Corridor is the only land link connecting India’s mainland with its northeastern states, making the corridor’s security and strategic importance crucial for India.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report