CPEC Is Transforming Pakistanís Economy
Ahmad Rashid Malik, director of the China- Pakistan Study Centre (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad in Pakistan
I was impressed by President Xi’s visionary leadership, not only for China but also for the world. Xi proved that he is a world leader. He called for every country to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, a project for this century. The Silk Road, as he said, was a civilizational corridor that brought many civilizations together. The Initiative promotes development and cooperation among nations across all continents.
All countries share a common vision for cooperation and development. The agenda of the Belt and Road Initiative is open, and China has attached no political conditions to the Belt and Road projects for any country or international organization. The Initiative is open to all. It is not an elite club. It involves developing, emerging, and developed countries. President Xi said that the Belt and Road Initiative does not put the sovereignty of any nation at risk. It is a cooperative platform, and it jointly addresses challenges.
The benefits the China-pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has brought to Pakistan are enormous and everywhere. The CPEC is connecting Pakistan, with new roads, bridges and tunnels being constructed, industrial zones being planned and new jobs being created. The project will also strengthen Pakistan’s energy infrastructure and modernize its educational system. We are happy that China is collaborating with us on a massive scale to convert our economy under the Belt and Road Initiative.