Pakistan and China have been maintaining and developing friendly and supportive relations for the past many decades. Both are carrying these distinguished bilateral relationships by consistently building and developing strong strategic, economic, and political foundations. This enthusiasm of showing and exercising a heartening and most rational alliance from both the sides is far beyond just gaining obvious benefits from each other in their own interests.
Pakistan and China have been carrying massive investments in many development projects including China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). CPEC is a 3000km trade route from Gwadar in Pakistan to Kashgar city in China, which is estimated to cost $46 billion of investment. This project is significantly as important for China as it is for Pakistan.
First and foremost, geography of the region plays a pivot role for China in making the most of this project. Currently, China imports 80% of its oil from OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exchange Countries) countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq. This trade is made through the sea route- from Persian Gulf through the Straits of Hormuz to the Arabian Sea to the Indian Ocean to the South-China Sea, through the Straits of Malacca, to Hong Kong or Shanghai or Tianjin ports in China. This is the only possible sea route for China to strengthen her trade relationships with the Gulf and other countries to its West? It is a very long route which, besides its heavy costs, poses a bundle of other problems for China including the South-China sea conflict. With CPEC, therefore, China would be able to save the heavy costs and to lessen the pressure of other problems by directing her trade instantly after the Straits of Hormuz to Gwadar port in Pakistan and through entire Pakistan to Kashgar in the west of China.
China’s trade is made through the sea route- from Persian Gulf through the Straits of Hormuz to the Arabian Sea to the Indian Ocean to the South-China Sea, through the Straits of Malacca, to Hong Kong or Shanghai or Tianjin ports in China. This is the only possible sea route for China to strengthen her trade relationships with the Gulf and other countries to its West
Secondly, this project enables China to boost her internal strength. That is, approximately 94% of her population lives in less than half of the entire country in the east, while only 6% of the population lives in more than half of China in the West. “It is very hard for China to move her army from east to west if she confronts any misfortune from the western side”, many analysts believe. In this way, by initiating high volume of trade activities in Xinjiang (Kashgar) in the west, China can move her capital, financial, and human resources to the western part to encourage her population to spread across the western regions as well.
Additionally, China would get remarkable benefits of loosening the USA’s and Russiangrip and tighten her relations with Asian, European, and some African countries by accelerating her trade activities throughout the region. Besides, this project would add significantly more and more value to the historical friendship of both the nations, Pakistan and China. Pakistan has been offering a highly attractive marketplace and her support to China since long.
For Pakistan, geographically, this project will help win the trust and love of angry Balochi brothers, and sustain the integrity of peace-loving Pakistan. High volume of trade activities and people from Pakistan and across the globe would encourage Balochi brothers to consider themselves as an integral part of the Pakistani nation.
Furthermore, economically, it will create tremendous employment opportunities for the people of Pakistan. Also, it will attract foreign investments at large hence contributing amazingly to the GDP of the country. We hope and pray for this historic friendship to continue in the coming future.
The writer lives in Naudero
Published in Daily Times, February 19th 2019.