That Pakistan and China have decided to move ahead with the second phase of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) is welcome news indeed and one that seems to have come at just the right time for both countries. Pakistan has just decided against another lockdown in order to facilitate growth and employment, and there is no better way to get off the mark than work on the most crucial projects. For CPEC doesn’t just bode well for the future of Pakistani trade, it will also revamp the basic infrastructure of the country which has its own added advantages. The way out of the present predicament, brought about by the pandemic and the lockdown, is precisely such targeted, high-value projects to lead the way as small and medium enterprises provide much needed volume to economic activity. This must be a moment of relief for China as well. It has had to stand firm against momentous political and financial challenges over the last few years. First there was the political space getting cold with the US, then there was the long and mutually destructive trade war, then came the coronavirus with all its damage, and now there’s the sanctions as well as the prospect of a cold war with America. Eyebrows were naturally raised when China announced earlier that it would not set a growth target for this year. Skeptics took that as a show of weakness, thinking Beijing had somehow got lost in all these troubles, but it was in fact very smart thinking since the Middle Kingdom is taking this time to reprioritise. Now all the needless noise in the regional press, especially form India, indicating that China no longer had the money for CPEC will have no ground to stand on. Yet it’s not as we should not expect any trouble down the road. Both India and the US are vehemently against CPEC, and would do anything to see it unravel. Indeed, it is little surprise that most Indian spies that Pakistan has caught lately were active in Balochistan. No doubt relevant security agencies of both countries have the situation well under control, and the only thing to really worry about would be maintaining social safety protocols so that the coronavirus, of all things, is not allowed to unsettle the pace of progress between China and Pakistan. All efforts must be made to make sure that everything about CPEC Phase-II remains on track. *