Staff Correspondent : Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen has responded to Chinese Ambassador Li Jiming’s remarks on Bangladesh in connection with the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, saying that the country will take a decision based on "neutral and balanced" foreign policy.

Momen made the remark while speaking at state guesthouse Padma on Tuesday, a day after Jiming said any sort of participation in the Quad alliance would “substantially damage” bilateral relations with China.

“We are an independent and sovereign state. We determine our foreign policy. But yes, any country can present its view. We will take that into account with due respect,” Momen said.

“We’ll decide what to do or what not to do for the betterment of the people of this country. And we’ll decide it based on our principled position.”

Quad is a “small group of elites” working against China, Jiming said at an event organised by the Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh on Monday.

First established in 2007, Quad is an informal strategic dialogue established between the US, Japan, Australia and India. The initiative is widely regarded as a response to the growing economic and military power of China.

“Obviously it will not be a good idea for Bangladesh to participate in this small club of four because it will substantially damage our bilateral relationship,” Jiming said.

Momen explained Bangladesh’s position on the matter after handing over medicines and PPEs to Nepal to help the country combat the coronavirus pandemic.

“They can say whatever they want. He represents a country, maybe they don’t want it and so they will naturally say this. The organisation he speaks of has shown no interest in us, so the statement was presumptuous.”

“But we will decide what we will do.”

“This is a matter of the interest of our country. We do things we need to for the welfare of the country. You have seen the prime minister,” Momen said.

“We maintain a non-aligned and balanced foreign policy and we will continue to do it.”