Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming called on Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen and explained his recent remarks on Dhaka-Beijing ties if Bangladesh joined Quad.

Masud Bin Momen while talking to Dhaka Tribune, after the meeting, said: “After receiving half a million vaccines as a gift from China, we had a meeting with the Chinese ambassador. We sought an explanation for the recent remarks made by the ambassador."

The secretary said the envoy explained his remarks. However, Masud did not give any further details.

Dhaka Tribune quoted sources present at the meeting as saying that Li Jiming called the issue “a failing of English language” and "out of context”.

The sources said the Chinese ambassador explained he did not "mean" what he said about the Quad “or did not want to say it that way.”

On Wednesday, China gifted Bangladesh 500,000 Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccines as a form of goodwill.

The ambassador and the secretary discussed different bilateral issues, including cooperation related to Covid-19 between the two countries, during the meeting, a senior Foreign Ministry official told the news agency UNB.

They also highlighted the importance of the growing relationship between the two countries.

On Monday, the Chinese ambassador at an event in Dhaka had said that Bangladesh should not join the US-led "Quad" and its relations with China will be "substantially damaged" if it did.

Dhaka had immediately reacted to Li Jiming’s remarks.

The next day, asked about the matter, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen had said that the envoy’s comment was “presumptuous.”

“Bangladesh will continue to maintain non-aligned and balanced foreign policy and it will decide what to do according to those principles,” Momen said.

(SAM)