CPEC Essay for CSS – CSS Times

The Impact of CPEC on Pakistan’s Domestic and Foreign Policies (CSS Essay)

A little more than two years after Xi Jinping’s visit to Pakistan, which marked the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and in the wake of the Belt and Road Forum held in Beijing on 14-15 May 2017, it is an ideal time to provide a preliminary assessment of CPEC’s implications for Pakistan’s domestic politics as well as for the country’s geopolitical posture. With its $55 billion overall investment, CPEC represents the flagship project of China’s Maritime Silk Route initiative, aimed at the construction of ports, infrastructure, as well as road and rail connectivity in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. What has been CPEC’s impact so far? According to a recent report by the International Monetary Fund, CPEC is going to boost investment in Pakistan’s economy and there is general optimism in the country about the positive changes that CPEC would bring about.

The Benefits and Risks of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CSS Essay)

Traditionally, China and Pakistan have cooperated closely at the strategic and political levels. Now the two nations are making efforts to expand their bilateral collaboration economically as well. The construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a milestone that signifies this shift.

At its core, the CPEC is a large-scale initiative to build energy, highway, and port infrastructure to deepen economic connections between China and Pakistan. This initiative has been well-received in both countries, although it is not without its problems. Nevertheless, China and Pakistan regard the CPEC as a new source of potential synergy between their respective national development strategies, which may help the two countries translate their close political cooperation into multifaceted economic cooperation, attain mutual benefits, and achieve win-win outcomes. For the economic corridor to reach its potential, however, there are security and political challenges in Pakistan that must be addressed.