CPEC- A Flagship of BRI

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a flag ship of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Belt & Road (BRI) vision. CPEC is a great economic venture which offers economic upheaval to Pakistan and Western China. It is even known as China’s Marshal Plan for its trustworthy partner-Pakistan. The Marshal Plan was given by the US to Europe after World War II to revive its economy, Similarly CPEC is for Pakistan to recover its economy after ten years of ‘War on Terror’.

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It connects Pakistan’s Gwadar Port with China’s Xinjiang province through a network of roads, highways and railways. China is developing infrastructure in Pakistan which will in turn provide it easy access to the Middle East and Central Asia. CPEC provides China a safe access to Middle East due to its proximity to ‘Strait of Hormuz’. CPEC is the only economic corridor that offers China a secure entrance to Indian Ocean and to Middle Eastern oil.

    CPEC will endorse and strengthen trade, economic and security cooperation in the adjacent regions. This economic corridor will operate as a main door for trade for China and the whole region. It fortifies the regional cooperation between South, Central Asia and China by improving trade routes between China and Pakistan and the neighboring regions. It is meant to generate financial investments and integration of the markets. The militancy, instability and poor economic situation of the South Asia can be improved through economic projects and cooperation.

 China has adopted CPEC strategy for security through development.  It can be rightly called a corridor of peace. China believes that security and economics are interconnected. The CPEC can lessen the poor security situation of Chinese western region i.e., Xinjiang and also of Pakistan because it will generate job opportunities and economic progress. The terrorists hide along Pak-Afghanistan border areas and are involved in damaging peace of the region.  These militant groups will lose help of local population in case of economic progress and job facilities in the region.

     CPEC and strong friendship with China has elevated Pakistan’s image at regional and international level as a responsible and peaceful country. It faces serious security challenges which China wants it to tackle efficiently. Secure and peaceful Pakistan is necessary for success of  this venture.  It is a also great opportunity for Pakistan in the wake of the US growing tilt towards India. Indo-US strategic partnership has disturbed balance of power situation in the South Asia. China is determined to restore and maintain balance of power for regional peace and security.

China deliberates regional connectivity as the fundamental step in its rise from a regional to global power. CPEC is outcome of this dream. It will curtail Pakistan’s dependence on foreign powers. The corridor is to generate economic interdependence which will surely promote political integration along with improved security situation. It is deemed as forerunner of peace and prosperity to the backyard of China. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia and several Central Asian Republics are part of CPEC to gain its economic gains.

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