Kunming initiative needs a push

While the talks between the two countries at highest level further strengthened the cooperation and helped explore new areas, an important result of the visit is also the emphasis on cooperation at the regional level. China fits in well for multi-dimensional cooperation with geographically close countries, including that of some in South Asia, and Myanmar and the Thailand, under a regional framework.

South Asia's potential for forging and enhancing multi-faceted cooperation with this important neighbour is enormous. But not many concrete ideas and steps were taken before in this direction, even though nations of this region felt that such interactions with China could be extremely fruitful. China, the largest country in the world in terms of population, is presently catching global attention as an emerging economic power. The politically socialist country has adopted innovative open economic programs, and is establishing itself as a strong economic power at a rather amazing speed by maintaining a commendable steady annual growth over the last several years.

The country is also open to economic and other cooperation with neighbours. Being a vast country, some of its provinces are close to South Asia, and the Chinese government has encouraged these provinces to forge closer cooperation between regional China and its neighbours, and they are now coming together with specific measures to promote cooperation in economic, trade and business, communications and other fields. A conference in Kunming, capital of Yunan province, late last year, which was termed as "China-South Asia Business Forum" shed some light in this field and the ball seems to be now rolling.

Yunan province, seen as China's gateway to South-East and South Asia, launched the "Kunming Initiative" a few years ago, but without much progress. However, the idea has been praised by all concerned and of late concrete steps are being considered and discussed for multi-facetedÊcooperation under this initiative. The matter had also come up during the Chinese Prime Minister's visit to South Asia and with the countries which have great stakes in the idea. Bangladesh and India among the Saarc family are involved in the "Kunming Initiative." The other country in this venture is Myanmar.

Saarc needs larger interactions for its development. It's welfare oriented programs need close links with the outside world as well. The last Saarc summit in Islamabad felt that the regional grouping now needs to swing more into effective action oriented welfare activities. The signing of Safta and stronger emphasis on unremitting efforts for poverty alleviation in one of the most poverty-ridden regions on one hand reflected the forum's eagerness to tackle critical issues inextricably linked with economic emancipation and protocol on curbing terrorism, on the other, it underlined the willingness to improve the overall climate in the area as far as possible.

But it is the core economic matters that will help improve the socio-economic conditions of the member countries, particularly the lesser developed ones, should now catch the imagination of the Saarc leaders in a far bigger way in their future programs.

Here Saarc can be benefited from greater links with nearby Asean and of course with China. This aspect needs to be remembered by South Asian leaders when they meet in Dhaka for the next summit scheduled within next three months.

The emergence of the "China-South Asia Business Forum" meeting in Kunming was an event in the right direction for regional cooperative approach. What was noteworthy is the support from China's central government towards Beijing's economic cooperation with South Asia. The initiative came from the Yunan province, whose Vice-Governor Shao Qiwei is a driving force behind the regional and sub-regional cooperation. He is also keen for bilateral cooperation with Bangladesh and led a high-powered team here not long ago to discuss concrete issues. A Dhaka-Kunming direct air route is now a bright possibility and may take shape shortly. If it finally does, this will help in greater Sino-Bangladesh links in the field of trade and commerce in addition to the regional framework.

Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao paid a South Asia visit in April, 2005 that took him to four regional countries Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. He discussed bilateral and multilateral cooperation with the leaders of these countries and the focus was on multi-faceted cooperation, mainly in the economic fields including trade and business. The visit of the Chinese premier to the four South Asian nations had taken place at the right time and this provided the much needed push to Sino-South Asia cooperation and also the "Kunming Initiative," which has several concrete programmes on hand like road and air communications to pave the way for regional and sub-regional cooperation that will help economic and social advancement for all involved. Interactions with China can help in that direction and what is required is the follow up actions both at bilateral and multilateral levels. There should be no slackening in this effort since regional cooperation holds the key for progress of developing countries.

These issues were not lost during Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's visit to China. Bangladesh should pursue follow up action on areas of agreement reached bilaterally during the Chinese premier's visit here and recent visit of Bangladesh premier to Beijing. There must be no slackening in carrying out the "Kunming" progress as well as Bejing's collaboration with South Asia collectively. This process as well as other programs both at bilateral level and regional scale need to be pursued with all seriousness.

China's economic links at bilateral level with all the South Asian nations are on the increase. Bangladesh leaders regardless of political affiliation have been attaching importance to Sino-Bangladesh cooperation and all the heads of government in the last quarter of a century chose to forge closer economic links with China, which swung into economic reforms in 1978 and by now has emerged as a strong economic power.

While the strengthening of the Dhaka-Beijing economic ties will be of mutual benefit, it is equally important that regional ventures with China like the "Kunming Initiative" involving Bangladesh, Myanmar, and parts of eastern China and India needs effective push for proper implementation of the common projects for the benefit of a large segment of people living in these areas.

Zaglul Ahmed Chowdhury is a senior journalist.