thesolar65
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Beijing has received a note of caution about pushing its USD46 billion economic corridor to Pakistan from an unlikely source.
An article published in a Communist Party-run newspaper on Tuesday suggested to the Chinese government that it would be "unwise to put all its eggs in one basket", and that it should look more to new
markets in Southeast Asia rather than put in billions into unrest-hit Pakistan.
"It is unlikely that China will change its supportive attitude on the CPEC [China Pakistan Economic Corridor] in the short term, but the increasing cost of security is becoming a big problem in efficiently
pushing forward the projects," said the article published in the Global Times, a tabloid owned by the official People's Daily, authored by reporter Hu Weijia.
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QUESTIONS RAISED ON CPEC VIABILITY
It isn't often the case that the Chinese media suggests to Beijing that it go slow when it comes to a country that is increasingly being seen in China as its only ally.
Many Chinese experts and companies are known to have privately raised doubts on the viability of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which connects the restive Xinjiang province, through
Azad Kashmir (Azad Kashmir), to the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea in Balochistan.
The plan, which envisages widening the Karakoram Highway and possible rail links and gas pipelines, not only passes through some of the world's most difficult terrain but also through areas grappling with unrest, from Azad Kashmir to Balochistan.
The Global Times warned, "The economic corridor.. passes through some turbulent regions, Kashmir included. It is unlikely to be plain sailing for China and Pakistan in their attempts to push forward the
CPEC due to challenges such as the complex regional environment, and people in the two countries should be prepared for potential setbacks".
On Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assurances that the CPEC was a top priority for the government, the paper said, "However, given the difficulty of protecting the personnel that are working in Pakistan,
projects under the CPEC may need to be implemented and assessed step by step."
SHIFT FOCUS TO SOUTHEAST ASIA
"This does not mean that China should give up on the idea of the CPEC because of the present challenges," it added. "However, China may not want to put too much focus on the region. At the very least, it would
be unwise to put all its eggs in one basket."
It proposed that Beijing should instead "consider giving more attention to its economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries". The CPEC has long been seen as a flagship project in China's Belt and Road initiative, but the initiative's strategic focus may need to shift gradually toward Southeast Asia, where there is a wide infrastructure funding gap but a relatively stable regional environment that will enable China to efficiently push forward ventures under the Belt and Road initiative," it suggested, specifically mentioning Vietnam, whose prime minister is currently on a six-day visit to China.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...hina-pakistan-economic-corridor/1/763102.html
An article published in a Communist Party-run newspaper on Tuesday suggested to the Chinese government that it would be "unwise to put all its eggs in one basket", and that it should look more to new
markets in Southeast Asia rather than put in billions into unrest-hit Pakistan.
"It is unlikely that China will change its supportive attitude on the CPEC [China Pakistan Economic Corridor] in the short term, but the increasing cost of security is becoming a big problem in efficiently
pushing forward the projects," said the article published in the Global Times, a tabloid owned by the official People's Daily, authored by reporter Hu Weijia.
Ads by ZINC
QUESTIONS RAISED ON CPEC VIABILITY
It isn't often the case that the Chinese media suggests to Beijing that it go slow when it comes to a country that is increasingly being seen in China as its only ally.
Many Chinese experts and companies are known to have privately raised doubts on the viability of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which connects the restive Xinjiang province, through
Azad Kashmir (Azad Kashmir), to the Gwadar port on the Arabian Sea in Balochistan.
The plan, which envisages widening the Karakoram Highway and possible rail links and gas pipelines, not only passes through some of the world's most difficult terrain but also through areas grappling with unrest, from Azad Kashmir to Balochistan.
The Global Times warned, "The economic corridor.. passes through some turbulent regions, Kashmir included. It is unlikely to be plain sailing for China and Pakistan in their attempts to push forward the
CPEC due to challenges such as the complex regional environment, and people in the two countries should be prepared for potential setbacks".
On Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's assurances that the CPEC was a top priority for the government, the paper said, "However, given the difficulty of protecting the personnel that are working in Pakistan,
projects under the CPEC may need to be implemented and assessed step by step."
SHIFT FOCUS TO SOUTHEAST ASIA
"This does not mean that China should give up on the idea of the CPEC because of the present challenges," it added. "However, China may not want to put too much focus on the region. At the very least, it would
be unwise to put all its eggs in one basket."
It proposed that Beijing should instead "consider giving more attention to its economic cooperation with Southeast Asian countries". The CPEC has long been seen as a flagship project in China's Belt and Road initiative, but the initiative's strategic focus may need to shift gradually toward Southeast Asia, where there is a wide infrastructure funding gap but a relatively stable regional environment that will enable China to efficiently push forward ventures under the Belt and Road initiative," it suggested, specifically mentioning Vietnam, whose prime minister is currently on a six-day visit to China.
http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/...hina-pakistan-economic-corridor/1/763102.html
