China's Westward One Belt One Road Strategy
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Brigadier
The 2018 Boao Forum for Asia officially kick off yesterday. Here is something you need to know about the annual event held on the Hainan island, China. - ......
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Brigadier
The possibility of Russia Pakistan Economic Corridor (RPEC)..
Over the past decade, Pakistan and Russia have been repairing a relationship that was badly damaged during the Cold War.
State-to-state ties are not grounded in emotion but based on shared interests. No two countries can remain friend or foes forever; the convergence or divergence of mutual interests decides the nature of ties between two states. Though relations between Russia and Pakistan have remained turbulent over the years, they have been warming up over the last decade, with top political, diplomatic and recent military engagements. Kremlin is reaffirming its role in its immediate domain and beyond, whereas Islamabad is seeking new avenues in its vicinity. Moreover, the new arrangement of Pakistan-Russia defence relations is a symbiotic realism that flouts conventional wisdom. This is essentially a paradigm shift in the global policy framework. Old allies such as US and Pakistan are drifting away amid changing geopolitics and unfolding regional crescendos.
Russia’s cozying up to Pakistan is indeed a sign of Pakistan’s rising importance in the emerging international domain. Its lifting of the arms embargo against Pakistan in 2015 undoubtedly signifies that Russia is getting quite comfortable with the idea of cooperation with Pakistan.
Earlier this month, Russia also began the delivery of Mi-35 advanced assault helicopters to Pakistan; Islamabad and Moscow concluded the $153 million helicopter deal during then-Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Raheel Sharif’s visit to Russia in June 2016. A preliminary contract was signed at the Pakistan Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi in August 2015.
No two countries can remain friend or foes forever; the convergence or divergence of mutual interests decides the nature of ties between two states
Pakistan is significant for Russia in two dimensions. First, it serves as an outlet to the Central Asian Republics and the Kremlin would never desire instability there. Second, the strategic location of Pakistan connects the Central Asian region with the Middle East and Indian Ocean — thus Russian goods can access the international market very conveniently through Pakistan.
Moscow also wants to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture technology, including drip irrigation and desert farming. Likewise, Russia is also interested in utilizing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The fundamental reason for which Moscow would like to become, even an auxiliary, part of CPEC is that it is the long-cherished desire of Russian rulers to have access to the warm waters of the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Since the times of the Russian Czar Peter the Great to the present-day Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, all have wanted to somehow provide Russia access to warm waters of Asia. Most of the other seas surrounding Russia are not navigable. Russia’s engagement with Pakistan to utilize latter’s geostrategic location complementing with CPEC have already begun. Russian Telecom giant, VimpelCom, is also consolidating its position in Pakistan. After purchasing Mobilink, it has also acquired Warid. Both the brands after merger would benefit from VimpelCom’s $1 billion investment into building one of the largest and most ambitious IT infrastructures in the industry in Pakistan. The Russian telecom is now eyeing on Bank Alfalah too.
In mid-2017, Russia’s Gazprom International and Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Moscow aimed at mutual cooperation, joint ventures and use of state-of-the-art technology that would aid exploration and development. Russia has already expressed its interest to invest $8 billion in Pakistan and a major part of it will go in the country’s ailing energy sector.
Senior Pakistani journalist Syed Talat Hussain who is associated with Geo News, on Monday revealed that a big Russian delegation led by Mayor of Leningrad is coming to Pakistan as Moscow “plans on purchasing banks, laying down railways lines and enhancing their interest in telecommunications. As America’s role shrinks, other powers court Pakistan,” he wrote. Talat Hussain further revealed that the Russians see Bank Alfalah as a big ticket investment in Pakistan.
Pakistan is at the crossroads of economic giants. With the increasingly improving security situation, these booming economies are looking up to Pakistan for their economic interests. Pakistan can cash in its geo-economic and geostrategic location, but by playing cautiously. With Russia’s growing interests in different sectors of Pakistan’s economy and tapping into the potential areas where it can either invest or capture the market for Russian goods, it seems that after Chinese adventurism of CPEC, Russia Pakistan Economic Corridor (RPEC) is also in the making. The thought of it may be ahead of time, but if Pakistan plays balanced chess moves on the board of international and regional politics in particular, it can become hotbed of intersecting world economies.
Over the past decade, Pakistan and Russia have been repairing a relationship that was badly damaged during the Cold War.
State-to-state ties are not grounded in emotion but based on shared interests. No two countries can remain friend or foes forever; the convergence or divergence of mutual interests decides the nature of ties between two states. Though relations between Russia and Pakistan have remained turbulent over the years, they have been warming up over the last decade, with top political, diplomatic and recent military engagements. Kremlin is reaffirming its role in its immediate domain and beyond, whereas Islamabad is seeking new avenues in its vicinity. Moreover, the new arrangement of Pakistan-Russia defence relations is a symbiotic realism that flouts conventional wisdom. This is essentially a paradigm shift in the global policy framework. Old allies such as US and Pakistan are drifting away amid changing geopolitics and unfolding regional crescendos.
Russia’s cozying up to Pakistan is indeed a sign of Pakistan’s rising importance in the emerging international domain. Its lifting of the arms embargo against Pakistan in 2015 undoubtedly signifies that Russia is getting quite comfortable with the idea of cooperation with Pakistan.
Earlier this month, Russia also began the delivery of Mi-35 advanced assault helicopters to Pakistan; Islamabad and Moscow concluded the $153 million helicopter deal during then-Chief of Army Staff General (retd) Raheel Sharif’s visit to Russia in June 2016. A preliminary contract was signed at the Pakistan Army General Headquarters in Rawalpindi in August 2015.
No two countries can remain friend or foes forever; the convergence or divergence of mutual interests decides the nature of ties between two states
Pakistan is significant for Russia in two dimensions. First, it serves as an outlet to the Central Asian Republics and the Kremlin would never desire instability there. Second, the strategic location of Pakistan connects the Central Asian region with the Middle East and Indian Ocean — thus Russian goods can access the international market very conveniently through Pakistan.
Moscow also wants to invest in Pakistan’s agriculture technology, including drip irrigation and desert farming. Likewise, Russia is also interested in utilizing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The fundamental reason for which Moscow would like to become, even an auxiliary, part of CPEC is that it is the long-cherished desire of Russian rulers to have access to the warm waters of the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Since the times of the Russian Czar Peter the Great to the present-day Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, all have wanted to somehow provide Russia access to warm waters of Asia. Most of the other seas surrounding Russia are not navigable. Russia’s engagement with Pakistan to utilize latter’s geostrategic location complementing with CPEC have already begun. Russian Telecom giant, VimpelCom, is also consolidating its position in Pakistan. After purchasing Mobilink, it has also acquired Warid. Both the brands after merger would benefit from VimpelCom’s $1 billion investment into building one of the largest and most ambitious IT infrastructures in the industry in Pakistan. The Russian telecom is now eyeing on Bank Alfalah too.
In mid-2017, Russia’s Gazprom International and Pakistan’s Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Moscow aimed at mutual cooperation, joint ventures and use of state-of-the-art technology that would aid exploration and development. Russia has already expressed its interest to invest $8 billion in Pakistan and a major part of it will go in the country’s ailing energy sector.
Senior Pakistani journalist Syed Talat Hussain who is associated with Geo News, on Monday revealed that a big Russian delegation led by Mayor of Leningrad is coming to Pakistan as Moscow “plans on purchasing banks, laying down railways lines and enhancing their interest in telecommunications. As America’s role shrinks, other powers court Pakistan,” he wrote. Talat Hussain further revealed that the Russians see Bank Alfalah as a big ticket investment in Pakistan.
Pakistan is at the crossroads of economic giants. With the increasingly improving security situation, these booming economies are looking up to Pakistan for their economic interests. Pakistan can cash in its geo-economic and geostrategic location, but by playing cautiously. With Russia’s growing interests in different sectors of Pakistan’s economy and tapping into the potential areas where it can either invest or capture the market for Russian goods, it seems that after Chinese adventurism of CPEC, Russia Pakistan Economic Corridor (RPEC) is also in the making. The thought of it may be ahead of time, but if Pakistan plays balanced chess moves on the board of international and regional politics in particular, it can become hotbed of intersecting world economies.
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Brigadier
Belt and Road initiative documentary & importance of .
Cpec only a unique project under Belt and Road which is connected by Economic Silk road & Maritime silk route.
Cpec only a unique project under Belt and Road which is connected by Economic Silk road & Maritime silk route.
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Brigadier
The mega project of all time, OBOR stretches from the edge of East Asia to East Africa and Central Europe, connecting the world together. The “One Belt” part of it refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt while the “One Road” refers to the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road. Jointly, they’re meant to be a revival of the ancient Silk Road trading routes.
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Brigadier
CPEC’s role in generating prosperity, cooperation and peace in Central Asia........Dr. Elenoire Laudieri
As Trump’s US is putting up barriers to international trade risking to plunge the world market into turmoil, Xi’s China perseveres in pursuing a world of free trade and an open global economy.
Speaking on the second and final day of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, held in Qingdao, China’s President Xi called on the members of the eight-nation Asian grouping to “boost harmony and unity by seeking common ground and setting aside differences”.
In stark contrast, a day earlier, US President Trump decided to abruptly withdraw his support for the Canada G7 summit final communiqué alienating US’s closest allies more than he had already done by imposing steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union on questionable “national security” grounds.
The mainstay of China’s international economic integration policy is the Belt & Road Initiative, the cornerstone of which is China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), officially launched in May 2015 during President Xi’s visit to Pakistan.
China pledged an initial USD$46 billion for the implementation of the project, which included a two-way 3,000km road and rail corridor from Kashgar in China’s western Xinjiang province to Pakistan’s port of Gwadar on the Indian Ocean as well as the construction of hydro, wind, solar, gas and coal-fired power stations.
The deep-water Gwadar port will provide Pakistan and China with a new maritime access route to import and export markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Its development includes a new international airport, hospital, technical school, a major power station and desalination plant, and a special industrial zone and tourist area.
When the entire complex will be completed, the annual freight is expected to grow from the current half a million tonnes to more than 400 million and the Gwadar population to increase from the present 80,000 residents to over two million. As far as Pakistan’s overall economy is concerned, it is estimated that in 2030 the CPEC will have generated a cumulative GDP growth of around 20% and created up to 700,000 new jobs. CPEC’s geo-strategic implications will be significant, not only for Pakistan and China, but also for the whole Central Asian region. Since obtaining their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five Central Asian Republics (CARs) – namely Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – have remained relatively isolated due to their landlocked geographical location.
Pakistan offered them sea access but road connectivity was poor and, in any case, the ports of Karachi and Ben Qasim were too busy and unable to fully service their international freight.
The port of Gwadar can now give them the opportunity to break their isolation and expand their trade. Hence it is not surprising that they are eager to be part of the CPEC and both China and Pakistan are keen to involve them in the project.
Pakistan has been very active in this regard and a recent seminar titled “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Opportunities for Central Asian Republics” organized by the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies and Preston University of Islamabad, saw the attendance of all five CARs Ambassadors who conveyed the interest of their government to join the CPEC project.
Addressing the seminar, Pakistan’s then Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, said that Pakistan and CARs would definitely benefit from the platform and infrastructure being constructed under CPEC and anticipated that two more corridors would be added to the project linking Peshawar with Kabul and Tajikistan, and Quetta with Herat and Turkmenistan. Furthermore, he announced the establishment of a Central Asian University in Pakistan to promote regional cooperation, understanding and security.
The seminar was also attended by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, who described CPEC as a ray of hope to the regional countries to collaborate and set aside their differences for a prosperous and a peaceful future. She added that stability in Afghanistan is crucial to connectivity in Central Asia pointing out that Pakistan supports the reconciliation process as there is no military solution to the conflict. Finally, as to the longstanding Kashmir dispute, she indicated that its settlement is indispensable to achieve peace and stability in the region.
As an old saying goes, where there is the will there is a way and China, Pakistan and the five Central Asian Republics seem to be willing to work together for the well being of their peoples and help building a new world based on friendly relations, mutual respect, cooperation and trust.
As Trump’s US is putting up barriers to international trade risking to plunge the world market into turmoil, Xi’s China perseveres in pursuing a world of free trade and an open global economy.
Speaking on the second and final day of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, held in Qingdao, China’s President Xi called on the members of the eight-nation Asian grouping to “boost harmony and unity by seeking common ground and setting aside differences”.
In stark contrast, a day earlier, US President Trump decided to abruptly withdraw his support for the Canada G7 summit final communiqué alienating US’s closest allies more than he had already done by imposing steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the European Union on questionable “national security” grounds.
The mainstay of China’s international economic integration policy is the Belt & Road Initiative, the cornerstone of which is China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), officially launched in May 2015 during President Xi’s visit to Pakistan.
China pledged an initial USD$46 billion for the implementation of the project, which included a two-way 3,000km road and rail corridor from Kashgar in China’s western Xinjiang province to Pakistan’s port of Gwadar on the Indian Ocean as well as the construction of hydro, wind, solar, gas and coal-fired power stations.
The deep-water Gwadar port will provide Pakistan and China with a new maritime access route to import and export markets in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. Its development includes a new international airport, hospital, technical school, a major power station and desalination plant, and a special industrial zone and tourist area.
When the entire complex will be completed, the annual freight is expected to grow from the current half a million tonnes to more than 400 million and the Gwadar population to increase from the present 80,000 residents to over two million. As far as Pakistan’s overall economy is concerned, it is estimated that in 2030 the CPEC will have generated a cumulative GDP growth of around 20% and created up to 700,000 new jobs. CPEC’s geo-strategic implications will be significant, not only for Pakistan and China, but also for the whole Central Asian region. Since obtaining their independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five Central Asian Republics (CARs) – namely Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – have remained relatively isolated due to their landlocked geographical location.
Pakistan offered them sea access but road connectivity was poor and, in any case, the ports of Karachi and Ben Qasim were too busy and unable to fully service their international freight.
The port of Gwadar can now give them the opportunity to break their isolation and expand their trade. Hence it is not surprising that they are eager to be part of the CPEC and both China and Pakistan are keen to involve them in the project.
Pakistan has been very active in this regard and a recent seminar titled “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: Opportunities for Central Asian Republics” organized by the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies and Preston University of Islamabad, saw the attendance of all five CARs Ambassadors who conveyed the interest of their government to join the CPEC project.
Addressing the seminar, Pakistan’s then Minister for Planning and Development, Ahsan Iqbal, said that Pakistan and CARs would definitely benefit from the platform and infrastructure being constructed under CPEC and anticipated that two more corridors would be added to the project linking Peshawar with Kabul and Tajikistan, and Quetta with Herat and Turkmenistan. Furthermore, he announced the establishment of a Central Asian University in Pakistan to promote regional cooperation, understanding and security.
The seminar was also attended by Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, who described CPEC as a ray of hope to the regional countries to collaborate and set aside their differences for a prosperous and a peaceful future. She added that stability in Afghanistan is crucial to connectivity in Central Asia pointing out that Pakistan supports the reconciliation process as there is no military solution to the conflict. Finally, as to the longstanding Kashmir dispute, she indicated that its settlement is indispensable to achieve peace and stability in the region.
As an old saying goes, where there is the will there is a way and China, Pakistan and the five Central Asian Republics seem to be willing to work together for the well being of their peoples and help building a new world based on friendly relations, mutual respect, cooperation and trust.
Russian special forces clash fiercely against US special forces like delta force in Syria. Each side trying to gain control of the strategic oil and gas field.
What if China send PLA to join Russian special forces at Syria?
What kind of effect it would have?
What if China send PLA to join Russian special forces at Syria?
What kind of effect it would have?
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Brigadier
Special Economic Zones on the move in South Asian States....
SEZs are geographically bound areas set aside for targeted industries & Economic activities generally supported through system and laws different from rest of the country
- China Pakistan Economic Corridor....
SEZs are geographically bound areas set aside for targeted industries & Economic activities generally supported through system and laws different from rest of the country
- China Pakistan Economic Corridor....
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Brigadier
Statement by Chinese Embassy in Pakistan
The report from the Wall Street Journal severely deviates from the facts. As a major pilot project of Belt and Road Initiative, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has achieved great progress in the last 5 years. CPEC has effectively alleviated energy crisis and infrastructure shortage which are considered as two bottlenecks in Pakistan's development, and played a positive role in maintaining the relatively high economic growth in Pakistan. As an early harvest project in CPEC, the Lahore Orange Line project has been widely welcomed by the Pakistani government and people, creating a large number of job opportunities. After the completion, it will greatly ease the traffic congestion in Lahore and provide people with affordable energy-saving transportation.
The report stated that CPEC led to the debt crisis of Pakistan. This is a highly irresponsible statement that fails to reflect the reality. According to data released by the Pakistani government, 42% of foreign debt of Pakistan is from multilateral financial institutions, 18% of the debt is from Paris Club. Chinese preferential loans only account for only 10% of whole foreign debt, and offer a much lower rate than commercial bank loans. From this perspective, even if there is a so-called "debt trap", the initiator is not China. As to the people who fabricated the lie that the so-called "debt trap" in Pakistan is caused by CPEC, if they are unable to offer tangible assistance to Pakistan, they can at least try to put the sincere cooperation between other countries in perspective.
The cooperation under CPEC has always adhered to the principles of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity, follows the golden rules of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. The planning and implementation of the CPEC has been discussed by the both sides in the open. No country is dominating the process. Both sides have an equal say. Firmly promoting CPEC is an across-party national consensus in Pakistan and received the wholehearted support from the Pakistani people. We believe that the CPEC will be advanced in a steady manner in accordance with the consensus reached by China and Pakistan without being disturbed by other factors. We hope that relevant media reports could respect the truth, take off their tinted glasses, and make more objective, unbiased and all-sided reports. Their readers deserve the true story.
The report from the Wall Street Journal severely deviates from the facts. As a major pilot project of Belt and Road Initiative, China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has achieved great progress in the last 5 years. CPEC has effectively alleviated energy crisis and infrastructure shortage which are considered as two bottlenecks in Pakistan's development, and played a positive role in maintaining the relatively high economic growth in Pakistan. As an early harvest project in CPEC, the Lahore Orange Line project has been widely welcomed by the Pakistani government and people, creating a large number of job opportunities. After the completion, it will greatly ease the traffic congestion in Lahore and provide people with affordable energy-saving transportation.
The report stated that CPEC led to the debt crisis of Pakistan. This is a highly irresponsible statement that fails to reflect the reality. According to data released by the Pakistani government, 42% of foreign debt of Pakistan is from multilateral financial institutions, 18% of the debt is from Paris Club. Chinese preferential loans only account for only 10% of whole foreign debt, and offer a much lower rate than commercial bank loans. From this perspective, even if there is a so-called "debt trap", the initiator is not China. As to the people who fabricated the lie that the so-called "debt trap" in Pakistan is caused by CPEC, if they are unable to offer tangible assistance to Pakistan, they can at least try to put the sincere cooperation between other countries in perspective.
The cooperation under CPEC has always adhered to the principles of mutual benefit, equality and reciprocity, follows the golden rules of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits. The planning and implementation of the CPEC has been discussed by the both sides in the open. No country is dominating the process. Both sides have an equal say. Firmly promoting CPEC is an across-party national consensus in Pakistan and received the wholehearted support from the Pakistani people. We believe that the CPEC will be advanced in a steady manner in accordance with the consensus reached by China and Pakistan without being disturbed by other factors. We hope that relevant media reports could respect the truth, take off their tinted glasses, and make more objective, unbiased and all-sided reports. Their readers deserve the true story.
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