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anyone notice that name?November 18, 2016 BY Sultan M Hali
An unfortunate display against our sole “all weather friend”
Dr. Stephen P. Cohen — famous American political scientist, prominent expert on Pakistan, India, and South Asian security and a senior fellow in foreign policy studies at the Brookings Institution – was asked by a journalist during an interview if there is any example in the world (in his knowledge) where the cordial relations between the states are not entirely based on the mutual interests. Dr. Cohen replied that in his recollection, China-Pakistan relations can be described as the states’ relations which are above their personal interests.
Is it? Srilankan debt was 36% of GDP in 2010 and shot up to 94% in 2015. They had to take 1.5 billion bailout from IMF in 2016 just to pay Chinese interest.
If China were really serious about 7000 MW shortfall, only 15 second generation nuclear reactors can produce this much electricity which is pollution free, affordable and at much lesser building cost. We are getting electricity from Kundankulam nuclear plant with Russian reactors@Rs 4.2/unit (that's after 15 yrs of project overruns and delays!). For Indian reactors at under construction in Gujarat and Rajastan, it's less than Rs.3/unit. No matter how hard i try, I can't wrap around this coal plant logic where Chinese firms are demanding Rs 12/unit rates for Sahiwal plant and chose to bow out.
This is our actual concern, Srilanka has unwillingly become a dock for Chinese ships, can't get out of it's clutches no matter how hard they try and will regret it don't know for how many decades, i hope you don't end up creating same sort of headache for us!!
Srilankan also went through stages like despising USA, calling China it's strategic ally in 2009, China vetoing UN move to put sanctions on Srilanka on human rights ground, Srilankan called their infra projects as CPCP, only difference, you call it CPEC.
Japan has also offered Pakistan to revive KCR at 0.1% mark up rate.
Congrats on proving my point, Your all weather friend is trying to milk you to the bones through all weathers. Only implication, China won't like it. Any country friendly to Japan starts irritating it. If you govt miss to avail this opportunity, it will be under chinese pressure, mark my words.
Chinese invested in Srilanka through massive loaned schemes and these days, China is offered varying degrees of control over some of Sri Lanka’s biggest infrastructure projects, including Mattala International Airport and portions of the Hambantota deep sea port, and Sri Lanka would receive some debt relief. What China tells in return, we don't want your empty airports, give our money back. Obviously they knew it all along, we will soon know what China would demand for.
Srilankans are struggling over Chinese loans which are 10% of their GDP, how would our other neighbor survive when it loans against 25% of it's GDP?
http://www.forbes.com/sites/wadeshe...ur-money-not-your-empty-airport/#7474538c1169
Given the ignorance and lack of awareness on CPEC as basic as, it's loan or chinese investment (FDI), Spirit of creation has record of delivering tough but long lasting lessons. We will talk about this whatever deeper - higher friendship some 10 yrs later.
You're just mad because you're IndianIt's not an excellent article and Mr. Hali is not an excellent writer, whatever you may think of his arguments. He's has a patronizing style that treats his readers as they are idiots. Most Pakistanis -- especially those that read the English-language press -- don't a primer about CPEC. In this article, he only makes his case more than half-way through the article. For a columnist, he manages to say very little while producing so many words.
Good, then Indians should be very happy and just move alongForget about India's opposition to CPEC, but slowly and surely China is taking over Pakistan. From waste disposal system to power plants everything in Pakistan is Chinese. The rates that Chinese are asking to build these in Pakistan are too high. The interests rate are exorbitant. This seem more like colonialism 2.0
Good, then Indians should be very happy and just move along
New Recruit
Never put all your eggs in One basket .... .... the Energy requirement in Pakistan is urgent and Nuclear Plant take time to built .. also it is not as much clean as you think and world is doing away from making too many or relying too much on such plants
Indian anger, frustration, efforts to sabotage, international hue and cry, firing on LOC, sending of submarines in waters near Gawadar all point at in one direction that CPEC IS GOOD FOR PAKISTAN
Good LuckWhat should matter to you is not whether I am happy, but asking question like why is there no competition in bidding and projects are awarded to Chinese companies left, right and center, what is the cost that Chinese are extracting from Pakistan to build CPEC, what is the cost to Pakistani economy and its industry and local jobs through flooding of cheap Chinese goods into Pakistan etc...
India is opposed to CPEC because it crosses G&B. Until Kashmir is settled, CPEC will remain highly controversial and India will use every forum to oppose CPEC.
New Recruit
Ha ha ha ... Well the CAT is out of its BAG .... so you are just irritated that you will get further squeezed in the IOR !!!! hello to reality ! nothing else needed to say
Sri Lanka faltered because there wasn't enough return on the infrastructure projects.
Pakistan is a nation of 200 million, and the largest trading nation on PLANET is looking to trade via our routes---what makes you think there wouldn't be enough return on our investments over the years?
Just energy infrastructure, on integration to the main grid, is expected to increase our GDP growth rate by 2.5% etc. Do you know much that is? That a lot is over $100 billion dollars by 2030 (time period when CPEC is expected to start full force operations)
If mass trade transit starts from CPEC by 2030 (inshallah)...just a mere $1000 dollar transit tax per truck will bring tens of billions each year in revenue. We'd be able to pay off $50b loans in a heart beat.
Any investment is a risk, its our job to protect our future.
Also, what you so consistently keep on missing is the nature of the investment. You bring one or two examples and compare it to CPEC. With CPEC, Chinese aren't investing in our railway between two cities or constructing some nuclear plant in one city etc. Chinese are making a STRATEGIC bet on Pakistan with overhauling ENTIRE road network of the country, trying to building energy projects cover length and breadth of country, connecting ALL of major cities, ports, and towns..and so on. ALL of that under ONE project (CPEC) with military dimensions to it as well..
All of this with 1.6% interest rate?! Any country will take it.
You think if US came to India with an $2,3 trillion offer to do all of the above what CPEC is doing for Pakistan..i.overhauling ENTIRE road network of india , trying to building energy projects cover length and breadth of India from South to Nothern East, connecting ALL of major cities, ports, trading centers and towns of India with major multiple lane highways.. so on. ALL of that under ONE strategic project..you think Indian govt wouldn't take the deal at 2%?!
You'd die to take that deal as it would shorten your path to full blown industrialization by at least 40 years.
No country in the world does that for other country in today's world. Pakistan-China are working on a strategic project that, if successfully conducted, will change the geopolitical and economic dynamics of entire region.
But but but...Japan is funding a railway line in India between two cities at lower rates. Wow Indians so smart, Pakistanis got jacked by China. LOL.
New Recruit
You think if US came to India with an $2,3 trillion offer to do all of the above what CPEC is doing for Pakistan..i.overhauling ENTIRE road network of india , trying to building energy projects cover length and breadth of India from South to Nothern East, connecting ALL of major cities, ports, trading centers and towns of India with major multiple lane highways.. so on. ALL of that under ONE strategic project..you think Indian govt wouldn't take the deal at 2%?!