分类： politics

SHANGHAI—The Belt and Road Initiative is poised for a strategic evolution beyond physical infrastructure as leading international experts call for greater emphasis on soft power sectors during a major academic forum. The ninth International Academic Forum on the Belt and Road and Global Governance, co-hosted by Fudan University and the Silk Road Think Tank Association, became a platform for redefining the initiative’s future direction.

With global governance systems undergoing rapid transformation, participants emphasized that BRI must expand into science, culture, heritage preservation, sports, education, and health collaborations to effectively address worldwide challenges. This shift comes as the initiative enters what experts describe as a critical phase in global governance development.

Erik Solheim, Co-Chair of the Europe-Asia Center and former UN Undersecretary-General, commended China’s leadership in steering BRI toward green transition while advocating for what he termed ‘small and beautiful projects’ in soft sectors. ‘China has demonstrated remarkable capability in hard infrastructure—railroads, roads, and environmental projects—but can achieve even greater impact through global health and education initiatives,’ Solheim stated.

The digital dimension emerged as another priority area, with Solheim highlighting how BRI could help developing nations bridge technological gaps through digital infrastructure and access to artificial intelligence technologies. This perspective draws from his observations of China’s transformation since first visiting Shanghai in 1984.

Liu Zhiqin, Senior Fellow at Renmin University’s Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, stressed the importance of connecting BRI outcomes directly to citizens’ daily lives through education, health, and technology cooperation. ‘Amid globalization challenges, BRI should build consensus through shared benefits mechanisms, enhancing its role as both international public good and collaboration platform,’ Liu noted.

Artificial intelligence’s potential in educational cooperation received particular attention from Yuan Zhenguo, Chief Expert of the Shanghai Innovation Institute-ECNU Joint Laboratory of AI for Education. He detailed how large models in intelligent education could revolutionize cross-cultural exchanges while maintaining alignment with shared values of peace, equality, and development.

The forum occurred against the backdrop of growing political and economic influence from Global South nations, whose cooperation mechanisms have reached new maturity levels. These countries are increasingly promoting comprehensive collaboration across political, economic, trade, technological, and cultural fields, contributing positively to international stability.

A Dhaka special court has delivered prison sentences to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members in a high-profile corruption case involving a government land allocation scheme. The verdict, issued Monday, sentenced Hasina to five years imprisonment while her niece Tulip Siddiq—a sitting British Labour Party parliamentarian—received a two-year term.

Presiding Judge Rabiul Alam found Hasina guilty of abusing her prime ministerial authority to facilitate illicit land acquisitions for family members. The court identified Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s sister and Siddiq’s mother, as the primary beneficiary of the scheme, handing her a seven-year prison term—the most severe sentence among the defendants.

All three convicted individuals were fined 70,000 taka (approximately $813) and ordered to forfeit the controversially acquired property. Fourteen additional suspects remain implicated in the case.

Corruption prosecutor Khan Mohammed Mainul Hasan expressed disappointment with the sentencing, revealing that prosecutors had sought life imprisonment for the principal defendants. “We will consult with the commission for our next course of action,” Hasan stated following the verdict.

The trial proceeded without defense representation, as none of the accused appointed legal counsel. All convicted parties currently reside outside Bangladesh—Hasina in exile in India, while Rehana and Siddiq’s siblings remain abroad facing separate charges related to last year’s political uprising.

Siddiq, who represents London’s Hampstead and Highgate constituencies, previously denounced the proceedings as “a farce built on fabricated accusations and driven by a clear political vendetta.” She resigned from her ministerial position in January amid mounting pressure regarding her familial connections.

This verdict adds to Hasina’s legal troubles, following her November death sentence for crimes against humanity during the crackdown that ended her fifteen-year administration. In a related case involving the same township project, another court previously sentenced Hasina to twenty-one years imprisonment, with her children receiving five-year terms.

The interim government under Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus continues to oversee Bangladesh’s political transition, having announced parliamentary elections for February.

British Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has been convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment by a Bangladeshi court for corruption-related offenses, tried in absentia alongside sixteen other defendants. The ruling centers on allegations that Siddiq improperly influenced her aunt, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to obtain a land allocation for family members on the outskirts of Dhaka—charges the London-based parliamentarian vehemently denies.

The verdict, delivered by Judge Rabiul Alam, includes a financial penalty of 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka (approximately $821), with an additional six-month prison term stipulated for non-payment. Despite the sentence, Siddiq is unlikely to serve time given the UK’s lack of an extradition treaty with Bangladesh and her status as a sitting British MP.

This case emerges amid widespread legal actions initiated by Bangladeshi prosecutors following the ouster of Hasina’s government in July 2024. The former prime minister herself recently received a death sentence in a separate trial concerning crimes against humanity during anti-government protests.

Siddiq’s legal representatives contest the jurisdiction of Bangladeshi courts, maintaining that she holds no Bangladeshi citizenship or official documentation. The trial has drawn international scrutiny, with prominent British legal figures—including former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and human rights lawyer Cherie Blair—questioning the fairness of proceedings and noting Siddiq’s inability to secure adequate legal representation.

The MP previously resigned from her Treasury ministerial position in January to avoid becoming a ‘distraction’ for the UK government, though an ethics investigation found no evidence of impropriety. She continues to face multiple additional charges in Bangladesh, including investigations into property transfers and a nuclear power plant deal during Hasina’s administration.

A government commission investigating Bangladesh’s deadly 2009 military mutiny has concluded that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina directly ordered the killings of 74 people during the two-day revolt. The findings, released on Sunday, represent a dramatic development in the case that has haunted the nation for sixteen years.

The investigation commission, established by the current interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, determined that Hasina’s administration was directly involved in the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) uprising that resulted in the massacre of military officers. According to the commission’s report, former parliament member Fazle Noor Taposh acted as principal coordinator with Hasina providing the ‘green signal’ to execute the killings.

Commission chief A.L.M. Fazlur Rahman presented evidence suggesting foreign involvement in destabilizing Bangladesh, specifically implicating India in efforts to ‘weaken the Bangladesh Army’ following the carnage. The report contradicts previous investigations conducted during Hasina’s tenure that attributed the violence to soldiers’ grievances over pay and treatment.

The 2009 mutiny began in Dhaka and rapidly spread nationwide, destabilizing Hasina’s government just weeks after she assumed office. The former prime minister, now 78, has sought refuge in India despite court orders demanding her return to Bangladesh. The commission’s findings have been welcomed by current leader Yunus, who stated the nation had long awaited truth about the motivations behind the killings.