CPEC Conference: UK University of Nottingham

[Clutch]

CPEC Conference 6-8 April 2018

Date(s)
Friday 6th (10:00) - Sunday 8th April 2018 (17:00)
Contact

iapslumsec2018@lums.edu.pk

The Great Transformation? The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Culture, Economy and Society in Pakistan

Conference jointly organised by Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) and the University of Nottingham

Conference organisers: Professor Katharine Adeney, Dr Filippo Boni, Dr Hasan Karrar, Professor Yunas Samad.

6-8 April 2018, LUMS

One Belt, One Road (OBOR) is a vast infrastructure network that aims to connect China, by land and by sea, to markets in Europe and resource suppliers in the Middle East and Africa. Announced by President Xi Jinping in 2013, it is estimated that investments in OBOR infrastructure shall be in the region of $6 trillion.

Pakistan, through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has become pivotal in the Belt and Road initiative; Xi Jinping has declared that Pakistan is where the Silk Road Economic Belt and the twenty-first Century Maritime Silk Road meet. This was echoed by China's Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, who defined CPEC as OBOR's 'flagship project'. Infrastructure and communication projects under CPEC – valued in excess of $60 billion – shall likely have a catalyzing influence on Pakistan, portending a so-called Great Transformation. But there are many unanswered questions regarding the impact of CPEC on Pakistan's social fabric, and on the country's economic and foreign policy. Details about CPEC investment remain opaque with interaction limited to the government-to-government level.

This conference attempts to shed light on some important aspects of CPEC. We seek engagement with critical issues using innovative theoretical and methodological approaches, evaluating CPEC nuances from the Chinese and Pakistani, regional and local perspectives. In order to dissect the challenges and opportunities arising from CPEC, the conference is articulated around thematic panels that reflect some of the key issue areas related to the development of the economic corridor.

Download the programme

Economic considerations of CPEC
This panel aims at understanding the economic rationale and implications behind such a large-scale investment. Some of the questions addressed include: What is the economic impact of CPEC on the macro, mezzo and micro levels and will it allow local players to participate on a level playing field? Is participation guaranteed for only the privileged few, whoever they may be, or will there be engagement with a range of stakeholders? Will Pakistan be able to pay back the loans received for CPEC projects?

CPEC and the environment
Energy generation garners the lion's share of CPEC investment. In addition, new roads and railways are being built to increase connectivity within Pakistan. Have the various infrastructural projects been evaluated for environmental impact? Can environmental issues be of secondary consideration and be relegated for future generations to address? Have renewable sources of energy been considered under the CPEC umbrella?

Politics of development and the development of politics
There is concern that CPEC will become hostage to politics. Can CPEC projects be imputed with the same sense of significance after Xi Jinping? What would be its fate if CPEC becomes hostage to Pakistani politics? How will CPEC play in internal politics, both formal and informal? How has CPEC been used by different parties during the 2018 elections campaign?

Social and cultural impact of CPEC
Ever since CPEC was announced, there have been concerns regarding the benefits to local populations. This panel will address issues relating to CPEC's impact on Pakistan's social fabric. What will be the political, social and cultural ramifications from the arrival of a large number of Chinese people? What is the impact on the ground for local populations? What challenges and opportunities can new connectivity bring?

CPEC and Federalism: An 'all-Pakistan' project?
The alignment of CPEC represents a source of tensions between the central government and provinces, with some commentators claiming that the CPEC was being transformed into the 'China-Punjab Economic Corridor'. How will CPEC feed into intra-provincial relations? Will it aggravate them? What will be the impact on the institutional checks and balances?

The geopolitics of CPEC
CPEC has also important implications for inter-state relations, with a number of countries expressing their interest in 'joining' the CPEC. How does the large-scale arrival of China in South Asia and the Middle East play out in the region? What impact might it have on Pakistan's and other regional and global powers' foreign policy?

The abovementioned themes and questions are an attempt to have a broad engagement, from a variety of perspectives, on a topic that has the potential to dominate Pakistan's future for at least the next three decades. We welcome papers looking at CPEC from varied analytical angles including, but not limited to, the themes laid out in this call.

Institute of Asia and Pacific Studies
School of Politics and International Relations
Law and Social Sciences building
University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD


https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/iaps/events/2017/cpec-conference-6-8-april-2018.aspx

 

[Clutch]

The Great Transformation?

The China‐Pakistan Economic Corridor and Culture, Economy and Society in Pakistan Conference jointly organised by LUMS and the University of Nottingham

6‐8 April 2018, LUMS Conference

Programme Friday 6
April 9.30‐10.00: Registration
10.00‐10.30: Inaugural session 10.30‐12.30:

Panel I ‐ The Politics of CPEC: Federalism and Constituency Politics in Pakistan 12.30‐2.00: Break 2.00‐4.00:

Panel II ‐ An ‘All Pakistan’ project: challenges and opportunities for consensus building 4.00‐4.30: Break 4.30‐6.00:

Panel III – Identity politics under CPEC (I): the view from Xinjiang 7.30‐9.00: A Journey into RAAG and TAAL Saturday 7 April 09.00‐10.30:

Panel IV ‐ Identity Politics under CPEC (II): the view from Balochistan 10.30‐11.00: Break 11.00‐12.30:

Panel V – CPEC and the economy 12.30‐13.30: Lunch 13.30‐15.00:

Panel VI ‐ The Geopolitics of CPEC and BRI 15.00‐15.30: Break 15.30‐17.00:

Panel VII ‐ CPEC and the Environment 7.30‐21.00:

Conference dinner Sunday 8 April 10.30‐12.30: Research collaboration workshop Lunch 1

Friday 6 April Inaugural session:

Welcome address: Chair: Syed Babar Ali. Pro‐Chancellor LUMs Dr Sohail Naqvi, Vice‐Chancellor LUMS Dr Kamran Ali, Dean MGHSS

Panel I ‐ The Politics of CPEC: Federalism and Constituency Politics in Pakistan Chair ‐ Dr. Asma Faiz (LUMS) Mariam Mufti (University of Waterloo) – ‘Analysing the Impact of CPEC on Constituency Politics in Pakistan’ Filippo Boni (University of Birmingham) and Katharine Adeney (University of Nottingham) – ‘The impact of CPEC on Pakistan’s Federalism’ Sikander Ahmed Shah (LUMS) – ‘The Politics of Federalism: The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor in Perspective’

Panel II ‐ An ‘All Pakistan’ project? Challenges and opportunities for consensus building Chair – Dr. Yunas Samad (LUMS) Saeed Shafqat and Saba Shahid (Forman Christian College) – ‘China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC): Expecting Socio‐Economic Dividends without Building National Consensus’ Ahmed, S. Y. (LUMS) and Muhammad Ali (LUMS) – ‘CPEC as an All Pakistan Policy’ Ghulam Ali (Sichuan University of Science and Engineering’– ‘CPEC Major Challenges’

Panel III ‐ Identity politics under CPEC (I): the view from Xinjiang Chair – Dr. Julie Flowerday (Forman Christian College) Rune Steenberg (Colombia) – ‘Infrastructure and Community. Different types of security on the Xinjiang side of CPEC’ Farhan Hanif Siddiqi (Quaid‐i‐Azam University)– ‘The (C)Hina‐(P)Akistan (E)Thnic (C)Onundrum: Pacifying Uighurs And Baloch As Policy Imperatives’

Saturday 7 April

Panel IV ‐ Identity Politics under CPEC (II): the view from Balochistan Chair – Dr. Ijlal Naqvi (Singapore Management University) Hafeez Jamali (Habib) – ‘The Militarization of Development under CPEC: Megaprojects, (In)security, and the Necropolitics of Identity in Gwadar, Pakistan’ Hanif Ullah Sajid and Maqsood (University of Lahore) – ‘China‐Pakistan Economic Corridor: Restructuring Realities Through Inclusive Development’ Mariam Altaf et al (University of Nottingham)‐ ‘The CPEC Iceberg: Prospective Small Seen And Unseen Changes With Big Impact!’

Panel V ‐ CPEC and the economy Chair – Mr. Khurram Hussain (Dawn) Nazhish Afraz (LUMS)– ‘Industrial Cooperation Under CPEC’ Hing Kai Chan, Fangli Zeng, Shuojiang Xu (University of Nottingham)‐ ‘Information Sharing in Logistics For China‐Pakistan Under The Belt And Road Initiative’ Jawad Syed and Memoona Tariq (LUMS) – ‘Cooperation among Business Schools along the Belt and Road: A CPEC Perspective’

Panel VI ‐ The Geopolitics of CPEC and BRI Chair – Dr. Katharine Adeney (University of Nottingham) William Case (University of Nottingham) – ‘Agential Hubs and Helpful Springboards: Malaysia and Pakistan on the Belt‐Road’ Yunas Samad (LUMS) ‐ ‘CPEC and Security: Foreign Policy’ Afzal Ashraf (University of Nottingham) – ‘Threat to CPEC during construction and operation’ Khurram Husain (Dawn) – CPEC Objectives Panel VII ‐ CPEC and the Environment Chair – Dr. Ariell Ahearn‐Ligham (University of Oxford) Mohsen Gul et al (University of Nottingham) – ‘Role of CPEC in stimulating entrepreneurial activity for renewable energy development in Pakistan’ Sanval Nasim (LUMS) – ‘The Environmental Costs of CPEC Power Projects’ Syed M Hasan (LUMS) ‐ Opting for Brown Power‐ An Economic Assessment of CPEC Energy Projects 3