China-Pakistan Corridor: A Recipe for Disaster

China-Pakistan Corridor: A Recipe for Disaster

India has voiced major security concerns over the multi-billion dollar China-Pakistan Corridor. This expensive economic corridor to Pakistan goes through the sensitive region of POK. This is a problem for our nation. Our foreign secretary, Mrs. Sujatha Singh has voiced India’s concerns at the sixth round of Strategic Dialogue with China recently. The question remains as to whether costly economic projects such as these would ever yield good results if they are through troubled regions such as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Beijing and New Delhi are committed to solid strategic and bilateral ties.

But the task of making this relationship fruitful depends upon the sensitivity of China to Indian concerns. Even as the Lok Sabha elections for this year are underway, the big question remains whether the new government will be able to manoeuvre itself into a positive position when it comes to Indo-China relations. The China-Pakistan Corridor connects Xinjiang with Gwadar Port through rail links and roadways. The corridor goes through the middle of POK. China is of the opinion that the corridor will bring prosperity to the nation and address concerns such as backwardness in the area. While India and China have conducted discussions on the topic, the border dispute was also a theme of the Strategic Dialogue.

India and China have a bright future ahead of them if they can compromise on certain key issues. But national security cannot be compromised on. If the corridor extends through POK, the safety of the project comes into play as does the impact on Indo-Pak relations. While India remains committed to a positive and strong bilateral relationship with China, certain major issues such as territorial disputes cannot be taken into account if our neighbours do not concede that these are a major cause for concern.

While India and China continue to be rivals when it comes to economic development, the 2 Asian giants can really benefit from each other. There is great scope for bilateral cooperation so that people of both nations can gain economic prosperity and social welfare to a greater degree. While India is increasing its interaction with China, some amount of caution on both sides is understandable. The China-Pakistan economic corridor connects southern parts of Pakistan to the eastern regions of China. Plans are in progress to create highways, rail lines and pipelines to transport gas and oil. The project was conceived with the support of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Pakistani leaders such as Zardari and Nawaz Sharif.

This corridor will be constructed as a gateway for trade between nation such as China and the Middle East and Africa. Oil from the Middle East is expected to reach the port of Gwadar in Pakistan through this corridor. Gwadar is located at the start of the Persian Gulf and it is linked to the Baluchistan Province in Pakistan. The port of Gwadar was transported to the China Overseas Ports Holding in 2013 in an attempt to boost the corridor project. It was on 19th of February in 2014 that the agreement between Pakistan and China was signed for the construction of world class international airport in Gwadar. Also part of the agreement was a 1,300 kilometre Karakorum Highway connecting to Islamabad.

Fibre optic cables will be laid from China’s border to Rawalpindi in Pakistan as part of the project. With the development of the corridor, Central Asia will open out. This corridor secretariat was established in Islamabad on August 27, 2013. China has been informed regarding India’s concerns over the corridor project. However, this is an essential part of the future bilateral links between India and China. China has never really been deterred by terrorists or militants when it comes to this corridor project. It should be noted that Xinjiang is the base of terrorists who have infiltrated this border province. Taliban controlled areas of Pakistan are also part of the corridor and this can influence infrastructure and business in this area.

It remains to be seen whether China will realize how difficult it will be to boost productivity and growth through this corridor project if national security concerns are not met. Bring growth and development to regions which are filled with militants may not be a good idea because this can pose a threat to the safety and security of Indian citizens. If China wants to nurture and develop its relationship with India, it has to make the effort to appreciate our concerns and provide concrete solutions to the problems at hand.