Tag: CPEC

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‘US, India plot against CPEC’

Islamabad is the seventh largest recipient of Chinese overseas development financing with 71 projects worth $27.3 billion currently under way as part of CPEC…reports Asian Lite News

 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority czar Khalid Mansoor has alleged that the US is colluding with India and hatching plots against the multibillion-dollar project, Dawn news reported.

Mansoor, the special assistant to the Pakistan Prime Minister on CPEC affairs, accused the US of conniving in cahoots with India against the economic lifeline of Pakistan, the report said.

“From the point of view of the emerging geo-strategic situation, one thing is clear: the Us supported by India is inimical to CPEC. It will not let it succeed. That’s where we have to take a position,” Mansoor said.

Islamabad is the seventh largest recipient of Chinese overseas development financing with 71 projects worth $27.3 billion currently under way as part of CPEC.

Many Western think tanks and commentators have termed CPEC an economic trap that has already resulted in bloated public debt levels and disproportionately high Chinese influence in the domestic economy.

The premier’s aide said the Us and India continue to make attempts to manoeuvre Pakistan out of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) —- a global infrastructure development plan under which the Beijing government has been investing heavily in about 70 countries, the report said.

“There’s no way Pakistan will forgo any of its benefits. It has more than once burnt its fingers in (the Western) alliance in the past,” he said, adding that their attempts to dilute China’s strategic influence in the region will fail.

He said the Western powers view CPEC as a symbol of China’s political ambition.

“That’s the reason CPEC is seen suspiciously by both the US and Europe… They view CEPC more as a move by China to expand its political, strategic and business influence,” said Mansoor, noting that China has been able to manage that apprehension “to a great extent”.

The US is now “taking stock of the economic and political consequences” of withdrawing from the region, he said.

Mansoor said Islamabad is seeking the expansion of CPEC to Afghanistan and has discussed the possibility of Taliban-led Afghanistan joining the multibillion-dollar economic corridor, the report added.

He said there’s been “deep interest” in developing economic connectivity between Afghanistan and Pakistan and with other neighbouring countries, including Iran.

“Some European countries have started showing interest (in CPEC). Their ambassadors keep on coming.”

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China’s South Asian projects in limbo

Beijing is much concerned about the CPEC, which is the centrepiece of the BRI which was slowed down by sluggish pace of work, frequent terror attacks, and incidences of corruption…reports Asian Lite News

After the initial fanfare about Chinese projects in South-Asian countries, the much-touted infrastructure deals in nations like Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal are reportedly stuck in limbo by delays, complications and increased costs.

China’s highly-touted Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) seems to be losing its sheen everywhere, as various issues including work at slow pace and terror attacks slow down the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) progress. Beijing is much concerned about the CPEC, which is the centrepiece of the BRI. The sluggish pace of work, frequent terror attacks, and incidences of corruption have slowed it down.

Last month, a Pakistan Senate panel had expressed concern over the slow pace of development on the CPEC and dissatisfaction being expressed by Chinese companies, Dawn reported. Besides Pakistan, Bangladesh authorities too have expressed concern over the slow progress of Chinese assisted infrastructure projects agreed under the bilateral MoUs in 2016.

A report by The Singapore Post stated that over two dozen MoUs/agreements which were signed during the October 2016 visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Dhaka, has not materialised.

The report said that China has been very slow in completing the financial modalities and pursuing the implementation of these projects despite Bangladesh’s repeated requests. “In Nepal too, Chinese involvement in hydro-power projects is reportedly mired in controversies,” the report added.

BRI promises to create opportunities for South Asia to facilitate a sustainable growth model but it also implies significant environmental risks, apart from economic, legal and sovereignty issues.

South Asia is amongst the main regions likely to be hit severely by the negative environmental impact of climate change. BRI announced by Beijing in 2013, will exacerbate these trends, reported European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS).

Furthermore, a research report has revealed that BRI has left scores of lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC) saddled with “hidden debts” totalling USD 385 billion.

The findings are part of a report published by AidData, an international development research lab based at the College of William and Mary in Virginia. According to this report, China has used debt rather than an aid to establish a dominant position in the international development finance market.

The report has analysed more than 13,000 aid and debt-financed projects worth more than USD 843 billion across 165 countries. According to AidData, over 40 LMIC now have levels of debt exposure to China higher than 10 per cent of their national gross domestic product.

The number of “mega-projects”–financed with loans worth USD 500 million or more–approved each year tripled during the first five years of BRI implementation. Despite larger loans and expanded loan portfolios, BRI has not led to any major changes in the sectoral or geographical composition of China’s overseas development finance program, the report said. (ANI)

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Protecting CPEC is immediate challenge for China and Pakistan

The expansion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would depend on how stable Afghanistan is under Taliban rule, reports Mahua Venkatesh

China and Pakistan — after the initial euphoria over the Taliban victory in Afghanistan -– have an immediate challenge: protection of the $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). And Beijing is primarily dependent on Pakistan for this.

But as the Taliban freed all the all 4000 Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters, responsible for several killings of civilians and security forces since 2007, besides the ghastly attack at Peshawar Army Public School that left over 130 school children and staff members dead, concerns for Islamabad have risen.

According to Global Times, analysts have warned that the “unrests in Afghanistan could provide a hotbed for terrorists targeting China’s Xinjiang and its interests overseas including the CPEC projects, “where enhanced communication and coordination between China and Pakistan is required to tackle potential threats.”

At a time when China was hoping to expand the CPEC further into Afghanistan, challenges for Pakistan have increased. Expansion of the CPEC would depend on how stable Afghanistan is under Taliban rule. “The far more likely outcome, however, is renewed instability that could threaten Chinese investments in Pakistan under CPEC,” Elizabeth Threlkeld – senior fellow and deputy director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center told the Diplomat in an interview.

On August 20, a bomb blast in the Gwadar area in Balochistan killed two Pakistani children but was targeted at the Chinese. In July, a bomb blast inside a bus near the Dasu hydropower project killed at least 13 people including nine Chinese nationals. Prior to this, a bomb blast at an upmarket hotel at Quetta stumped China as well as Pakistan. Reports suggested that the attack was targeted at the Chinese ambassador, who was in the city at that time.

While several reports have suggested that Chinese investments into the CPEC projects have been slowing down, the Chinese authorities have denied any deviation from the plan.

“China’s investments into CPEC projects have slowed down in the last few months.. somewhere the Chinese may be realising that they bit much more than they can chew since the results (of the projects) have not been very satisfactory,” Shakti Sinha, Honorary Director Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Policy Research and International Studies, MS University told India Narrative. Sinha pointed out that a successful CPEC would need Afghanistan’s participation.

Urdupoint, a Pakistan based Urdu news website said that Pakistan is concerned that Afghanistan since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban may become a source of cross-border terrorism, including against the CPEC project.

According to the website, Sehar Kamran member of Pakistan’s Senate Forum for Policy Research told Sputnik that “Pakistan has a lot at stake, especially with regards to the CPEC.”

China has also expressed its dissatisfaction over the pace of the project. In fact, the sudden and swift dismissal of Lieutenant General (retd) Asim Saleem Bajwa, who was heading the CPEC project, on account of lack of transparency and corruption raised many eyebrows.

However, analysts said that CPEC, described by the jewel in the crown, is a project that is not only associated with Chinese ambition but prestige as well and that Beijing will not abandon it.

“There is no way to suggest that the importance China attaches to CPEC has in any way reduced..I don’t think CPEC will be impacted in any way,” TCA Raghavan former Ambassador to Pakistan said, adding that the project is “an extremely important one” for Beijing.

(The content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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Chinese firm unwilling to resume works on Dasu project

Work on the World Bank-funded energy project came to a halt after the bus blast…reports Asian Lite News

After 13 people were killed in a bus blast at the Dasu Hydropower Project, including nine Chinese nationals on July 13, the Chinese firm is still reluctant to resume work.

The talks between the Water and Power Development Authority and China’s Gezhouba Group Company on the resumption of work on the Dasu hydropower project remained inconclusive in Islamabad on Wednesday, reported Dawn.

Work on the World Bank-funded energy project came to a halt after the bus blast. Beijing also stepped in to probe this bus attack, the Chinese forces were allowed to investigate this matter despite the fact that the Imran Khan government has repeatedly stated that it won’t allow foreign security set up on its land.

The Chinese ambassador was present in the talks, while Water & Power Development Authority (Wapda) chairman retired Lt-General Muzammil Hussain led the Wapda team.

A member of Pakistani negotiators told Dawn that the parleys, which were postponed last week, were held in presence of Chinese ambassador Nong Rong but the Chinese company continued to be reluctant to resume work on the project for security and other reasons.

He, however, said the two sides decided to hold another round of talks to ensure early resumption of work.

The source said the Wapda chairman informed the Chinese company’s representatives and ambassador about the deployment of the Pakistan Army’s troops in Upper and Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts.

He said the Pakistan Army’s brigades deployed in Kohistan district would escort Chinese nationals to work and respective camps via the Karakoram Highway, reported Dawn.

The source said both sides also discussed progress on the bus blast probe by the Chinese agencies and counter-terrorism department.

The source said the joint bus blast investigation by the military and civil agencies was almost complete and led to the collection of ‘important evidence’ of the culprits, reported Dawn.

Meanwhile, a World Bank team returned to Islamabad after a week-long visit to the Upper Kohistan district.

It held meetings about the Dasu power project with the Chinese company’s representatives and district administration and sought foolproof security for workers both local and foreign.

They also questioned Mohammad Masnoor, Chief Engineer Dasu Hydropower project, and Abdul Ghaffar stated to be the overall security in-charge of the project about the security arrangements and bus explosion.

“They also inquired about the schedule of the re-launching of the Dasu dam’s execution which is still suspended since the bus incident,” an official said on the condition of anonymity, reported The News International. (ANI)

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Projects under CPEC in Pakistan face delays

The CPEC multi-billion-dollar economic cooperation had not been able to complete the projects over the last three years…reports Asian Lite News

A number of projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), including those in the power sector, are currently facing delays for various reasons including the ongoing pandemic.

The CPEC multi-billion-dollar economic cooperation had not been able to complete the projects over the last three years and to maintain the impetus that delivered a series of power plants and other infrastructure projects in the first phase of the CPEC implementation, reported Dawn.

The Pak-China Relations Steering Committee on Monday directed finalisation of a uniform policy framework within a month for extension in commercial operation dates (CODs) of five power projects of about 3,600 megawatts being set up under the CPEC.

The meeting presided over by Planning Minister Asad Umar also directed the Power Division to ensure availability of sufficient power for operationalisation of 660 kV transmission line from Matiari to Lahore from September 1.

The committee also directed National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to finalise tariffs for the project during the testing stage.

The meeting discussed in detail the “ongoing projects under CPEC and the issues facing their investors,” said a statement after the second meeting of the recently created steering committee, mostly represented by federal secretaries and chairman of CPEC Authority besides military and intelligence agencies, reported Dawn.

“While discussing CPEC energy projects facing delays owing to Covid-19, the committee directed the Power Division to formulate a policy to deal with COD extension issues of the power projects,” the statement said.

The projects that require extension have a total generation capacity of 3,584MW and include 330mw each of Thar Coal Block-II and ThalNova Coal, 1320MW of Thar Coal Block-II, 884MW Sukki-Kinari Hydropower and 720MW Karot Hydropower Project.

The meeting also discussed the 884MW Suki Kinari project and gave directions to relevant authorities to settle the project operational issues on priority, reported Dawn.

The minister also directed the Ministry of Communication to expedite work on the Thakot-Raikot Road and Zhob-Quetta road projects. The meeting was also informed about delays in the signing of an industrial framework agreement.

The delay in the provision of utilities to Gwadar Port and Free Zone also came under discussion, reported Dawn.

CPEC, which is regarded as one of the most important components of the USD 60 billion Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) initiative, has faced opposition from various political parties in Pakistan.

Moreover, the hype created by the Pakistan government through projecting the CPEC as a panacea for all problems is rapidly losing steam. Also, China had stalled many projects due to disputes over debts.

The local populace in Pakistan also has been contesting such Chinese-led investment-oriented development strategies. Concerns about debt traps, lack of transparency, aggressive diplomacy, and friction due to excessive use of Chinese labour have often resulted in discord at the local level. (ANI)

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Chinese men working on CPEC arm themselves after Dasu attack

Chinese workers and engineers, wherever they work within Pakistan, are guarded 24×7 by armed guards, making them hostage to the Pakistan army….reports Asian Lite News

With the Taliban beginning to wield its influence in Pakistan, Chinese workers have started arming in order to protect themselves while carrying out maintenance works at various China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in Pakistan, intelligence agencies stated.

After the deadly attack on a bus carrying Chinese engineers to the Dasu dam site in Upper Kohistan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on July 14, which killed nine Chinese nationals, the Pakistani establishment’s failure to protect the Chinese workers has been exposed.

A massive sum of Chinese money has been pumped in to create, train and equip two Special Security Divisions (SSDs) — the 34 and 44 Light Infantry Divisions — with 15,000 troops each. While the 34 Light Division was created in September 2016, the 44 Light Division was developed in 2020.

The Pakistan army had asked for and received money for equipping these divisions. However, it has failed to carry out its duties completely and has been at the receiving end of insurgent attacks, the most deadly being the attack carried out in Ormara on Oct 15, 2020 when 14 Pakistan security personnel were dragged out of a bus and killed by Balochi militants.

Chinese workers and engineers, wherever they work within Pakistan, are guarded 24×7 by armed guards, making them hostage to the Pakistan army.

“This has led to a number of near-riot situations where fistfights have turned ugly, especially when it relates to the Chinese using Pakistani army vehicles to visit and frequent red-light areas,” said a source, adding that if history is anything to go by, most of Pakistan’s troubles have been the result of Chinese involvement in its internal affairs.

Ealeir, SSD officers have been implicated in various embezzlement schemes involving Chinese money. Also, Chinese money has been used to buy artillery pieces and combat helicopters, which do not fit into the scheme of of things of a force trying to protect human assets from terrorists.

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Pakistan has attempted to strengthen its conventional capabilities under the farce of asset protection, just like it did with the Americans.

Not only this, the maritime force created by the name of Task Force 88 has been given two frigates, which again do not fit this scheme.
The July 14 bomb blast is not the first attack on the Chinese nationals in Pakistan, whose work ethics and culture, apart from the rapacious nature of the Chinese CPEC projects, have upset the locals.

Given the current situation in Afghanistan, even the western borders of Pakistan have become active, with groups like ISIS and TTP rampaging against Pakistani troops.

Since the Taliban offensive, the Chinese have been quietly paying the Taliban and the Haqqani Network to keep the lid closed on probable East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) assaults against Chinese interests.

As it is, with a pressure-cooker like situation in Xinjiang, there is huge likelihood of revolts and riots breaking out in the besieged province, a stark rerun of 2009.

The weapons adorning the persons of the Chinese engineers are most-likely bought off the shelf from the Haqqanis.

“The Chinese workers are not known for their compassionate behaviour towards other nationalities and this has been evident from their actions in large parts of Africa as well as Pakistan, where they have assaulted Pakistani soldiers and gotten away with it,” the source said.

It is only a matter of time when they fire their bullets in anger, causing mass casualties, the source said.

Further, Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) even tried to deflect the anger by attempting to run hashtags on Twitter such as #CPECMakingProgress, but all in vain as the entire Belt and Road Initiative’s pivot in South Asia threatens to implode in Pakistan, creating conditions for chaos and anarchy.

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Pakistan bus blast: China puts hold on CPEC projects

Thirteen people have lost lives in a bus attack during the construction of the China-led Dasu hydropower project in the Kohistan district…reports Asian Lite News

After nine Chinese engineers lost their lives in the bus attack, Beijing has postponed its high-level joint committee for the Belt and Road Initiative halting a billion-dollar hydropower project in Pakistan.

Thirteen people including nine Chinese engineers were killed during the construction of the China-led Dasu hydropower project in the Kohistan district. Pakistan’s foreign office called it an accident caused by a mechanical failure. This triggered a strong response from Beijing, demanding that Islamabad probe the blast, Nikkei Asia reported.

“Obviously, these are efforts to block the CPEC mega project, previously a number of attacks targeted only the outlying areas of the CPEC in Balochistan, but this time it happened close to China,” Fakhar Kakakhel, a senior analyst covering terrorism informed.

Pakistani officials, later on, discovered traces of explosives at the site. A team of fifteen Chinese investigators had also reached Pakistan to look into the matter.

: Photo taken with a mobile phone shows security personnel working near the blast site in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on July 14, 2021. A blast happened in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leaving 12 people including nine Chinese dead, the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan confirmed. (Str/Xinhua)

In the initial reaction, Beijing postponed the 10th Joint Coordination Committee meeting, which is the ruling body for the USD 50 Billion CPEC project. Apart from that, Beijing also suspended work on the Dasu Hydropower Project, Nikkei Asia reported.

Experts believe that the attack has been a huge blow to China’s interests in Pakistan. The disturbing situation in Afghanistan will lead to more trouble in Pakistan where [CPEC] will be the main target, Nikkei Asia reported citing Kakakhel.

Meanwhile, Beijing has also asked Islamabad to identify security risks being faced by Chinese personnel in the country.

China’s State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Zhao Kezhi discussed with Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed about the recent terror attack in which nine Chinese nationals died in Pakistan.

After persistent attacks on Chinese nationals, now Pakistan has to convince Beijing that it can protect Chinese infrastructure and citizens from the terrorist groups when it has failed to protect its own. (ANI)

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Plan to build routes to China via PoK likely to irk India

The new routes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), which India claims as part of its territory will not go down well in New Delhi, which has already rejected the CPEC…reports Ateet Sharma

Islamabad is planning to go ahead with its plan of extending the alternate western corridor route of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) in spite of suffering a major setback due to the continued attacks on Chinese workers in Pakistan.

The new routes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), which India claims as part of its territory will not go down well in New Delhi, which has already rejected the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as it pases through this zone. CPEC begins in Gwadar on the Arabian Sea coast, but has to pass through PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan before it heads towards Kashgar, its terminus in China’s Xinjiang region.

Nevertheless, a majority of CPEC projects are now facing an uncertain future after nine Chinese engineers were killed last Wednesday when their bus was attacked near the Dasu hydropower plant in the Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The growing tensions between the ‘iron brothers’ escalated to an alarming level with Beijing not only deciding to cancel the much-awaited virtual 10th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) meeting on CPEC at the eleventh hour but also making it clear that foolproof security should be provided to Chinese citizens working on different projects in Pakistan.

Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese President Xi Jinping

The local media reported that on the same day (July 14), the Imran Khan government had decided to extend the western route of CPEC to Gilgit via Swat, Chitral and Shandur in a meeting which was chaired by Pakistan’s minister for planning and development Asad Umar and with Gilgit-Baltistan CM Khalid Khurshid and controversial CPEC chairman Asim Saleem Bajwa in attendance.

“As per the earlier plan, the Western Alignment of the CPEC was to be of 1153 kilometers starting from Gwadar in Balochistan to Brahma Bahtar Interchange near Hasan Abdal of Punjab province. With the inclusion of new routes like Swat Motorway, Gilgit to Chitral highway, the Western Corridor would be of 1617 km,” said Pakistan Today’s business magazine Profit.

The report mentioned that with the addition of 464 km – Shandur-Chitral road project (172 km), Gilgit-Shandur route (212 km) and Swat Motorway M-1 (80 km) – in the Western Corridor, Gilgit-Baltistan would be given an alternate route to existing Karakoram Highway.

Earlier in May, Asim Saleem Bajwa had said that CPEC’s western alignment routes will be completed in around three years with the work on the route from Islamabad to Dera Ismail Khan and from Dera Ismail Khan to Zhob already underway.

“We have presented a roadmap to China and they have approved it. Work has also started on the Zhob-Quetta route. We are moving beyond infrastructure to focus on agriculture, particularly economic zones to boost industrialisation,” Bajwa had told a gathering of businessmen at the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

However, the ground reality is quite different. Over the past few years, from Balochistan to Gilgit-Baltistan, massive protests have been held by locals against CPEC who have alleged that the project has destroyed them completely.

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CPEC: Gilgit-Baltistan Pays the price for China’s Greed

In a way, China-driven by its greed for power and resources has taken a calculated risk to establish its own ‘sphere of influence’ in the Gilgit Baltistan region. Sadly, however, this is being done at the cost of the environment, impacting local livelihoods and changing demographic structures while Pakistan, the country it calls its iron brother, acting as a vassal state, surrenders its much fought sovereign character to a culturally alien neighbour…reports Asian Lite News

China’s Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at renewing the country’s historic trade routes in the coastal countries of south-east Asia, Eurasian mainland and big sweeps of the Indian Ocean if it is finished as intended could have lasting consequences for China’s geopolitical and economic interests in the region, according to an analysis.

Experts and officials expect that the vast transport infrastructure of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and especially its Gwadar port will play a crucial role in the country’s pursuit of its goal particularly at a time when it has started enhancing trade ties with landlocked Afghanistan and the Central Asian countries, opines Fabien Baussart, President of CPFA (Center of Political and Foreign Affairs), writing in the Times of Israel.

CPEC says Baussart since it was launched in the year 2015 is the ‘prize plan’ of the BRI, which links China’s northeastern province of Xinjiang (Kashgar) with the Gwadar Port region of Balochistan in southwestern Pakistan.

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The BRI corridors are projected to link China with more than 150 countries through a web of roads, railways and sea routes. In total, the estimated amount of the BRI projects could be up to USD 1.3 trillion.
The analyst points out that several existential issues pose a serious challenge to the way CPEC is unravelled and executed in the region. These include factors such as internal strife and sectarian conflicts within Pakistan, particularly in the insurgency-prone areas in Balochistan, where CPEC has made significant amount of investments.

Also, China faces restraints within its own borders. The Xinjiang Province plays a strategic role geographically for the CPEC has already been suffering from ethnic turbulence due to clashes between the indigenous Muslim Uyghur population the mainstream Han Chinese. The consequent harsh measures being taken by the Chinese authorities against the Uyghur population has globally become a matter of concern.
The Times of Israel article notes that the CPEC is central to the hegemonic quests of China in the Indian subcontinent. The CPEC when complete will not only give China access to the Arabian Sea and develop an alternative route for its critical energy imports and other resources but also provide another gateway to mineral-rich and politically vulnerable Afghanistan.

A major challenge for Pakistan in the context of CPEC is to negotiate better terms with the Chinese companies so as to derive reasonable profits from the investments made in the country’s infrastructure.
Baussart writes that the Pakistani leadership seems apprehensive on the nature and scope of implementation of the CPEC program so that structural imbalances are removed and the economy attains sustainable growth. This, says the analyst, is an important cause of concern since the CPEC is heavily tilted in China’s favour and driven by its own vested interests.

In a way, China-driven by its greed for power and resources has taken a calculated risk to establish its own ‘sphere of influence’ in the Gilgit Baltistan region. Sadly, however, this is being done at the cost of the environment, impacting local livelihoods and changing demographic structures while Pakistan, the country it calls its iron brother, acting as a vassal state, surrenders its much fought sovereign character to a culturally alien neighbour. (ANI)

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China forced to change strategy amid CPEC delay

CPEC, most important components of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) initiative, has faced opposition from various political parties in Pakistan….reports Asian Lite News

Amid the severe delay in implementation of China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects (CPEC) projects, Beijing is now looking to expand its cooperation in Pakistan beyond federal and state governments and trying to engage with other political parties in the country.

CPEC, which is regarded as one of the most important components of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) initiative, has faced opposition from various political parties in Pakistan.

According to geopolitical experts, this delay has prompted the Communist Party of China (CCP) to initiate party-to-party engagements with the political class rather than relying solely on the governments of the day to push forward CPEC projects.

Beijing has expressed the desire for greater engagement with political parties in Islamabad to address issues related to the development of the CPEC.

Speaking at a webinar titled “People-Centred: Celebrating 100 Years of Communist Party of China”, the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong said CPC is ready to work with Pakistan’s political parties to actively promote the coordination between CPEC and Naya Pakistan Vision.

“The Communist Party of China (CPC) attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with Pakistani political parties, and will give full play to the advantages of inter-party relations to reach the consensus among parties and make the contribution of party-to-party exchanges to build a closer China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future in the new era,” said Ambassador Rong, as quoted by Dawn.

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The ambassador also expressed the party’s wish to strengthen exchanges of ideas, policies and peoples, to create a “good political and public environment” for the high-quality development of the CPEC.

According to the Pakistani newspaper, the Chinese envoy’s statement indicated Beijing’s interest in enhancing cooperation with Pakistani political parties to address issues related to CPEC and build a more conducive environment for its further development.

The Chinese ambassador also spoke about the CPC’s objective to enhance engagement with political parties is to promote China-Pakistan ties. “We are willing to support each other with Pakistani political parties on issues concerning the core interests and major concerns of our two countries, and support Pakistan’s political parties to devote themselves to developing Pakistan and consolidating the political foundation for China-Pakistan cooperation,” he said.

This comes as Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan-led PTI government last month passed the bill for the establishment of the CPEC Authority despite strong opposition from members of Parliament, The Express Tribune reported.

According to experts, the bill contains sweeping powers and legal immunity to plan, execute and expedite projects being undertaken under the CPEC.

Apparently, China has forced CPEC Authority on Pakistan because it wanted the army to be directly involved in the CPEC portfolio as Beijing was reportedly irked with Khan’s slow movement on the project.

This bill comes at a time when the hype created by the government through projecting the CPEC as a panacea for all problems is rapidly losing steam. Struggling local businessmen lament that Chinese investors are cornering key domestic industries, state assets and businesses to the detriment of Pakistani players and interests. (ANI)

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