China will continue to play positive role to facilitate early repatriation of Rohingyas: Envoy

Ambassador of China to Bangladesh Li Jiming said that China has been making efforts to improve the conditions of displaced people from Myanmar currently living in the camps in Cox’s Bazar.

“…in the future, China will continue serving as a bridge of communication between Bangladesh and Myanmar, and playing a positive role in facilitating early repatriation,” he said during his visit to Rohingya camps in Cox’s Bazar on Wednesday (April 27).

Ambassador Li noted that, during the past five years since the latest crisis had happened in Rakhine State of Myanmar, China had played a role of mediator between Bangladesh and Myanmar, and had been working with relevant stakeholders, including UNHCR, to facilitate the early repatriation of the displaced people.

Ambassador Li Jiming went into the settlement camps in Cox's Bazar on Wednesday and had in-depth exchanges with the displaced people from Myanmar, said the Chinese Embassy in Dhaka. 

Wang Zhihong, Political Counselor of the Embassy of China and Shamsud Douza Nayan, Additional RRRC, among others, were with Ambassador Li during the visit.

Ambassador Li, who paid a 3-day tour to Cox’s Bazar on April 26-28, visited 10 households of the displaced people in camps, and tried to know about their living conditions and major concerns.

Ambassador Li said that China has been making efforts to improve the conditions in the camps; in the future, China will continue serving as a bridge of communication between Bangladesh and Myanmar, and playing a positive role in facilitating early repatriation.

Ambassador Li also visited two repatriation centers and one learning center in the camp area.

On Thursday (April 28), the Chinese envoy handed over gift of medical equipment to 250-Bed District Sadar Hospital in Cox’s Bazar.

Cox’s Bazar Medical College Dean Prof Dr. Anupam Barua received the equipment on behalf of the hospital.

Local Member of Parliament Shaimum Sarwar Kamal and Deputy Commissioner of Cox’s Bazar District Md. Mamunur Rashid, Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Shah Rezwan Hayat attended and addressed the handover ceremony.

Ambassador Li first extended his sincerest wishes for the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

He said that the Bangladeshi Government and people, though with its own limited resources, had generously hosted more than a million displaced people from Myanmar. “This has imposed heavy medical burden on the local health resources.”

On Thursday, the Embassy of China in Bangladesh donates a bunch of badly-needed medical equipment as a good will of the Chinese Government and people. All the medical equipment is state-of-the-art and of superior quality, which will come a long way to strengthen the capacity of Sadar Hospital.

In the future, China will continue supporting local health facilities with more new initiatives.

Ambassador Li noted that, during the past five years since the latest crisis had happened in Rakhine State of Myanmar, China had played a role of mediator between Bangladesh and Myanmar, and had been working with relevant stakeholders, including UNHCR, to facilitate the early repatriation of the displaced people.

Shaimum Sarwar Kamal, MP and other Bangladeshi officials said that China is one of the most important development partners of Bangladesh, and the Cox’s Bazar District expects more cooperation with China in more fields, including health in the future.

The gift medical equipment includes bio-chemistry analyzers, dental chairs, light cure machines, centrifuge machines, etc.

Political Counselor of the Embassy Wang Zhihong, Senior Public Health Officer from UNHCR Dr. Allen Maina and medical staff representatives also attended the ceremony.