‘QUAD A CLIQUE’: CHINA DEFENDS WARNING B’DESH TO STAY AWAY

BEIJING: The four-member Quad is an “exclusive clique” that is rallying countries to work against China, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Wednesday a day after Dhaka criticised Beijing for saying any engagement with the grouping would damage ties with Bangladesh.

The Chinese ministry indirectly criticised India for being part of the Quad – which also comprises the United States, Japan and Australia -- and said New Delhi knows better what the group is all about.

The Chinese ambassador to Dhaka, Li Jiming, said on Monday that any engagement by Bangladesh with the US-led Quad would substantially damage Dhaka’s relations with Beijing. In response, Bangladesh foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said that the remarks of the Chinese ambassador were “very unfortunate and aggressive”.

The Chinese foreign ministry’s spokesperson, Hua Chunying, did not respond to Momen’s comments directly, but said: “We all know what kind of mechanism the Quad is. China opposes certain countries’ efforts to form an exclusive clique, portray China as a challenge, and sow discord between regional countries and China.”