16. CHINA AND PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR (CPEC) : Essay

 

16. CHINA AND PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR (CPEC)

NOTE: THE ESSAY WILL BE USEFUL FOR THE INTERMEDIATE, BACHHELORS, MASTERS, PMS AND CSS ASPIRIANTS TO LEARN ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CHINA AND PAKISTAN. YOU NEED ONLY TO NOTE DOWN THE BASICS IDEAS ON YOUR NOTEPAD AND WATCH FULL VIDEO TO ANALYZE THE IMPORTANCE AND NEEDD OF CPEC FOR BOTH COUNTRIES.

 

Aniq Ur Rahman writes,

“Show me your friends I will tell you your future” 

China after her independence in 1949, unprecedentedly flourished under the guidance and leadership of Mao Tse-tung. Diplomatic relations were established in 1950 between Pakistan and China. As neighboring countries both help and support each other in social, political stability, economic cooperation, diplomatic and military assistance.

Time has proved their friendship sweeter than honey. China came with an outstanding idea of having a stupendous economic plan between Pakistan and China. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major and pilot project of the Belt and Road Initiative at Gwadar port, which is proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013. Gwadar port is a deep-sea port situated on the Arabian Sea at Gwadar in Balochistan province of Pakistan.

The port features prominently in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) plan and is considered to be a link between the ambitious One Belt, One Road, and Maritime Silk Road projects. It includes four pillars i.e. the infrastructure, the energy requirements, workforce development, and economic progress.

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has the potential to bring regional economic integration and cooperation. It is a win-win situation for both China and Pakistan as they are the primary beneficiaries of the project.  It is a long-term transnational strategy to connect Asia, Africa, and Europe through a network of highways, railways, and ports. “One Belt, One Road” policy consists of mainly two parts. One is “New Silk Road” and the other is “Maritime Silk Road.” This strategy is inspired by the ancient “Silk Route.” In past, Chinese Silk was transported to European Markets from one country to another. So, “the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” is part of the “One Belt, One Road” policy.

If CPEC is properly managed, it will be a game-changer for Pakistan. It is the largest ever foreign direct investment in Pakistan. Therefore, CPEC will help Pakistan to become economically self-sufficient. According to rough estimates, CPEC will create 700, 000 direct jobs. Besides that, millions of people will be benefiting from it.

 Furthermore, CPEC also includes motorways, highways, industrial zones, economic zones, airports, etc. throughout the country. CPEC provides the shortest route to China. The distance from the traditional Chinese route which passes through the Indian Ocean, Strait of Malacca, and the South China Sea are around 13,000 Kms. It can also fulfill the needs of the regional states. It can provide a transit trade facility to landlocked Afghanistan and the Central Asian States. 

“Sustained growth is required, particularly in the poorest regions, to catch up with decent living standards and to live a life of dignity, opportunity, and hope.”
― Oscar Auliq-Ice

Since the beginning of the idea of CPEC, it faced multiple challenges. Domestically, the poor security situation is one of the biggest challenges of the country. Terrorism engulfed the region after 9/11. Political instability, Frequent, Imbalanced civil-military relations, Inter-provincial grievances are some of the serious challenges which CPEC is facing. Apart from domestic, international challenges are also hindering the progress of CPEC. Since the partition, India left no stone unturned to hurt Pakistan. Afghanistan, our western neighbor, remains a problem due to its internal instability. For CPEC, the Indo-Afghan nexus remains an arduous challenge. In addition to that, the Gulf States especially Iran is also a challenging factor. In addition to that, America is aggressively pursuing the policy of “Containment” against China.

This project will integrate the region economically and create interdependence. It will make the region more connected and peaceful ultimately. For the smooth operationalization of CPEC, peace is imperative for the country. Despite the improved security, it remains a challenge for the long term. Terrorists still manage to carry out attacks. For achieving that objective, a comprehensive National Action Plan (NAP) was formulated to wipe out extremism and terrorism.

In Pakistan, political stability is important for the success of the CPEC. Because it is political decision-making that impacts the behavior of institutions. For achieving political stability, the three pillars of the state legislature, judiciary, and executive should work in harmony. Media should also play a vital role. Furthermore, all the institutions should work within their domains. Political interference in institutional functioning should be discouraged for internal stability. Regional cooperation should be promoted. Relations with neighboring countries in a particular while with other countries like Russia, in general, should be improved keeping in view the changing international political dynamics.

In the end, CPEC is an extraordinary project for Pakistan and China. It will uplift the economy of Pakistan and cut down the distance for China from 13,000 Kms to 3,000 Kms. Moreover, it will be a game-changer for the entire region. Landlocked Afghanistan and the Central Asian States will get easy access to Gwadar port for trade purposes. However, it is a very challenging task to materialize the full potential of CPEC. Regional cooperation and connectivity will also help in removing misgivings and pave the way for economic integration and peace resultantly. Thus, CPEC is a testimony for China-Pakistan relations that are described as “sweeter than honey, higher than the Himalayas and deeper than oceans.” It is also a hope for the troubled region.

"Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago." - Warren Buffett

In conclusion, we can say that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a framework of regional connectivity. CPEC will not only benefit China and Pakistan but will have a positive impact on Iran, Afghanistan, India, the Central Asian Republic, and the region. China Pakistan Economic Corridor is the hope of a better region of the future with peace, development, and growth of the economy.   

 (970 words)