BEIJING — China said Friday it "welcomes" the formation of a new interim government in Bangladesh, promising to work with the country "to promote exchange and cooperation."

"China has noted the establishment of an interim government of Bangladesh and welcomes this," a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus was sworn into office Thursday as Bangladesh's interim leader, vowing to guide the country back to democracy after a student-led uprising ended the 15-year rule of Sheikh Hasina.

Hasina, accused of widespread human rights abuses including the jailing of her political opponents, was forced to flee to neighboring India on Monday as masses of protesters flooded Dhaka's streets.

Beijing said it had "always upheld the principle of not interfering in other countries' internal affairs" and "respected the development path independently chosen by the Bangladeshi people."

"China attaches importance to the development of China-Bangladesh relations," the foreign ministry said.

Beijing is "willing to work with Bangladesh to promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields between the two countries," the spokesman added.

Meanwhile, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina will return to her country when its new caretaker government decides to hold elections, her son said, but it was not clear if she would contest.

Hasina fled to neighboring India on Monday after weeks of deadly protests forced her to quit.

Speaking to the Times of India daily, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, who is based in the US, said, "For the time being, she (Hasina) is in India. She will go back to Bangladesh the moment the interim government decides to hold an election."

He did not specify whether Hasina, 76, would take part in the elections.

"My mother would have retired from politics after the current term," Joy said.

"I never had any political ambition and was settled in the US. But the developments in Bangladesh in the past few days show that there is a leadership vacuum.

"I had to get active for the sake of the party, and I am at the forefront now," he told the newspaper.

She is taking shelter in a safe house in the New Delhi area.

Indian media has reported that she plans to seek asylum in Britain, but the British Home Office has declined to comment.

India's foreign minister said on Thursday he spoke to his British counterpart about Bangladesh but did not share any details.