‘China-Pakistan corridor passes through Pak-controlled territory’

BEIJING: China backs Pakistan on the controversial economic corridor through Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) despite India’s concerns because most of its projects are in territory under Islamabad’s “control” even if claimed by New Delhi, a top Chinese scholar said on Thursday.

The remarks indicated Beijing has long set aside New Delhi’s serious “sovereignty” concerns over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a cluster of energy and infrastructure projects on a route that connects China’s Kashgar city with Pakistan’s Gwadar port. This was despite problems with the project and requests from Pakistan to change CPEC’s alignment, said Wang Yiwei, professor at the School of International Studies of Renmin University.

“In Kashmir, the CPEC projects mainly go though Pakistan controlled Kashmir region. This is what the Pakistani people tell us. So the Chinese government is also confused. These are the problems,” Wang told the All-China Journalists Association.

Wang’s comments came days ahead of China’s forum on President Xi Jinping’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative of which CPEC is part, which is expected to be attended by nearly 30 heads of state, including Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Despite the “confusion” and problems, Wang spelt out CPEC’s importance to China and Pakistan.

“The CPEC, which is a flagship project, is of strategic importance, which can help Pakistan to solve their problems and improve infrastructure. So that their economy will take off and become a strong economy,” he said.