Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan have decided to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan in order to fully realise the country’s potential as a regional connectivity hub.
What is CPEC?
- The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), one of the most ambitious components of Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was announced with considerable fanfare in 2015.
- CPEC is a set of infrastructure projects that began building in Pakistan in 2013.
- Originally priced at $47 billion, CPEC projects are now worth $62 billion as of 2020.
- It aims to swiftly update Pakistan’s infrastructure and strengthen its economy through the creation of new transport networks, many energy projects, and special economic zones (SEZs).
- On November 13, 2016, the Chinese cargo was transferred overland to Gwadar Port for onward maritime transportation to Africa and West Asia, making CPEC partially operational.
India’s reservation against CPEC
- India, which has tense relations with Pakistan, opposes the CPEC project, which is now upgrading the Karakoram Highway in Gilgit-Baltistan.
- This is the land that Pakistan illegally occupied in 1947-48.
- During Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to China in 2015, Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj reportedly informed the Chinese.
- India did not oppose to China’s development of the Karakoram Highway between 1959 and 1979.
Why is CPEC necessary?
- Economic drive for Pakistan: CPEC has been hailed as a “gamechanger” for Pakistan’s economy.
- Debt trap diplomacy: At the same time, China is the sole country investing extensively in Pakistan.
Progress report
- Slow pace: Despite being the site of multibillion-dollar projects, Gwadar lacks basic essentials such as consistent access to water and power, much alone other infrastructure.
- But the road to completion has proven to be lengthy and convoluted. According to reports, the pace of CPEC projects in Pakistan has slowed in recent years.
- Baloch independence movement: Another hurdle to the stalled project is the targeting and killing of Chinese officials.
- Consistent security risk: China is also attempting to put the army in the CPEC projects, which Pakistan has opposed.
Source: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/common-uniforms-at-higher-ranks-of-the-army-why-and-what-will-change-8600390/