China, Pakistan, Bangladesh pledge deeper ties at 1st trilateral summit

China, Pakistan and Bangladesh have agreed to advance trilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, as the three countries held their 1st trilateral meeting this week in the Chinese city of Kunming, according to official statements released Friday by Beijing and Islamabad.

Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong represented China at the summit, held in Yunnan province.

Bangladesh was represented by Acting Foreign Secretary Ruhul Alam Siddique, while Additional Secretary Imran Ahmed Siddiqui attended on behalf of Pakistan.

Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch participated via video link.

The three sides committed to promoting cooperation based on the principles of "good-neighborliness, equality and mutual trust, openness and inclusiveness, common development, and win-win cooperation," the joint statement said.

They agreed to explore joint projects in key areas including trade, industry, maritime affairs, water resources, agriculture, climate change, health, education, youth engagement, culture, and think tank collaboration.

A trilateral working group will be established to follow up on implementation of the agreed initiatives. The cooperation aims to enhance economic development and improve living standards in all three countries.

The joint statement emphasized that the trilateral framework is rooted in "true multilateralism and open regionalism" and is "not directed at any third party."

On the sidelines of the summit, Sun held bilateral meetings with both Ruhul Alam Siddique and Imran Ahmed Siddiqui.

He also met with Haji Mawlawi Abdul Salam Hanafi, acting deputy prime minister of the interim Taliban administration in Afghanistan.