Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar has observed that Pakistan was fully committed to the success of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and stressed the need for both sides to continue to work closely to ensure timely completion of the ongoing projects. During a meeting with the Chinese Vice Foreign Minister in Islamabad, the Prime Minister told the visiting dignitaries that Pakistan deeply valued its all-weather, strategic, cooperative partnership with China and endeavours hard to boost and strengthen time-tested bilateral ties with every passing day.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), is a magnificent example of China-Pakistan all-weather strategic friendship and an important pillar of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s vision for global peace, friendship, and economic partnership that manifests in the form of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) across Asia, Africa, and Eurasia. Initiated in late 2013, the CPEC has completed a decade of successes, and achievements by creating a network of ground and sea lines of communication, energy projects, Special Economic Zones, industrial and trade revival, skill development, healthcare, education, and cultural exchanges through people to people contacts between the two nations. Historically, it was a game-changer initiative that was aimed at bringing a pivotal change in geopolitical and geoeconomic dynamics in the region, however, this grand endeavour fell victim to the global conspiracy and regional rivalry at its early stage. The United States of America, its Western allies, and Pakistan’s staunch enemy India allied to fail CPEC which they perceived as a part of Beijing’s broader strategy for global supremacy in the world.
The CPEC has entered its second phase and multiple road infrastructure and energy projects under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have been completed and started yielding their benefits, however, a bulk of work is still left for its completion and realization of 100% potential. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) and the government of Pakistan are very optimistic regarding the outcome of this magnificent bilateral initiative which has now become a brand symbol of Pak-China friendship, while several other countries including Afghanistan, Iran, and Central Asian Republics intend to join this lucrative regional connectivity project because of huge economic, and monetary prospects attached to this initiative. Pakistan is hopeful of a big economic activity and a boom in trade and tourism between the two countries, which would surely bring an improvement to the social and economic lives of its people. In fact, the CPEC offers a win-win situation for both China and Pakistan because this mechanism not only uplifts the Chinese western region of Urumqi but also provides the shortest possible routes for Chinese exports meant for the Middle East and Europe.
Currently, the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is underway with full potential, and several road and energy projects and Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are nearly completion, while Pakistan and China also working on a series of endeavours to enhance the capacity of the Gwadar port through the construction of additional births, an increase in cargo tunnels and ceilings along with multiple other initiatives that will bring a positive change in the trade and economic activities in the country. The government and people of Pakistan perceive the CEPC and Pak-China teamwork as a recipe for their economic integration and prosperity, regional connectivity, and multilateral cooperation in the region and beyond. However, there is a long way to go to realize this dream and Pakistani leadership must continue concerted efforts for the completion of the ongoing projects, operationalization of under-construction SEZs along with exploring new avenues of cooperation with Chinese and multinational foreign firms to boost trade and investment opportunities, regional connectivity and people-to-people contacts between Pakistan, China and other states in the region and beyond. At the same time, the two countries must keep constant vigilance regarding foreign conspiracy and domestic treason-driven terrorism aimed at derailing the ongoing progress on CPEC projects and damaging the Pak-China teamwork. So, the dream for regional connectivity and cooperation could lead unhinderedly to greater economic and social integration in broader South and Central Asia. With regional partnership and teamwork, Pakistan will emerge as a regional connectivity hub for transit trade that will lead to greater economic activities in the future.
