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Author:Shiraz Hasnat
Awards applied for: Commentary Award
Title of entry:China the upcoming economic superpower
Participating organizations: Personal
Introduction to entry:
This article was about the China Pakistan Economics Corridor and its importance for the new Pakistani government after assuming charge. This write up narrated that how the economic stability is Important for the world and how different countries in past and present established their economic zones and groups to strengthen their economies. This article proved that the importance of CPEC under the belt and road initiative while giving different examples. Where publishing material also discussed about the back ground of CPEC and its history, it also showed the previous references of that project. Moreover, this article discussed the reservation of west and how particularly USA has issues with it.
Introduction to author:
I have been working in journalism for the last twenty years, starting from the grass root reporting, I have worked my way up to being a bureau chief of a local channel Hum News Network. Previously worked with good English language channels of Pakistan Dawn News and Express 24/7. In Hum News my responsibilities include but are not limited to processing of the news, looking after the team, ensuring the production of quality content and also giving my views in programs as a specialist. Throughout in my carrier I was covering economic, conflict and crime zone areas and that was the worst time for my country Pakistan which was facing terrorism activities even on daily basis. I was awarded Edward R Murrow fellowship in USA in 2014 and investigative journalism fellowship in Netherlands in 2019.
China the upcoming economic superpower
5 OCTOBER 2018 Truth Tracker

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History has proven that nations come together to make an international system. The role of the nations in this international system is according to their economic power. The same cultural history tells us that a competition has gone on between different nations for achieving and leading this economic power. The speed of economic progress defines the division of money, power, peace and war among the world. Historians are unified that unjust economic progress of different nations has been a culminating point for wars. These factors come together to form an international system in the world. Today the biggest interest of the nations in this system is their economic stability and security. Some powers are busy ensuring the safety of their economic interests. What information should be shared while filtering other, it is media which decides this agenda. It is because of media that from the sale of the product to expressing ones emotions and propagating a certain religion, everything has been commercialized. To achieve these commercial goals, nations in west form financial collaborations among them. China's Belt and road initiative is also one such financial collaboration. As a result of this mega project six corridor plan will be completed out of which, the most important is the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The other five plans include China Mongolia Russia economic corridor, new Eurasia land bridge economic corridor, China central Asia West Asia economic corridor, and China Indo peninsula economic corridor and Bangladesh China India Myanmar economic corridor. These projects give the impression that China will get connected with almost every country in Asia by road or by sea but for China this project holds way more importance than securing ties with these countries, for China it means securing its number one position in the economic wars. These projects will raise China from Asia and give it access till Europe and Africa. China is hoping for the world to come together under its patronage as one economic strain. In the international scenario America is no more a sole superpower in facts it shares its power with Australia, China, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and India. Hence the epicenter of power has been divided. For the last three decades, the international economic power was resting between two geographical allies, European Union and Asia. China has been waiting for this opportunity since 1990. It started absorbing the weak economies in itself. It granted them economic stability via its sponsored corridors. In 2013 the Chinese President on his visits to Kazakhstan and Indonesia introduced the one belt one road vision and later popularized this vision internationally. China with the help of hard work, its leaders and the use of its efficient systems is quickly progressing on the path of becoming a world economic superpower. China's practical steps have proven that neither democracy nor any other form of government is mandatory for economic stability. Economic progress can be guaranteed by using political, social and economic potential existing in the system of a country to its maximum capability.

China and Pakistan ever green strategic partnership will be further stabilized along with the common dream of building and development via CPEC under the BRI mega project which was laid down in 2013. In May 2013 the Chinese Premiere LI Ki Chiang suggested the CPEC project during his visit to Pakistan which was given immediate importance by the Pakistani government. In July of same year the then Premiere of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif visited China and signed MOU to start working on CPEC. CPEC will bestow unlimited opportunities along with economic benefits for Pakistan. The corridor will not only provide economic benefits to government and the social sector but will also improve the environment for international investors. The increase in industrialization will also provide new options of employment which will help decrease the social and financial burden of nation. The youth finding ample employment will also prove beneficial for the security situation of the region. Apart from this CPEC will become the biggest source of mutual connection in South Asia. China, Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries will become connected through this corridor. The trade which will be spread from Iran to China will also provide economic benefits for all the countries. Apart from providing opportunities, CPEC is also providing Pakistan with many challenges. A country where the continuity of political stability is doubtful, change of governments and continuity of this project's development will pose a big challenge. Because this project was started during the tenure of previous government of Nawaz Sharif, China gave an assurance right after the disqualification of Mr. Sharif that no changes will take place in the development of this economic corridor. However after disqualification the cabinet was changed resulting in Ahsan Iqbal getting the portfolio of interior minister which was reversed back to the ministry of planning and development as per China's wish. The relationship between China and Pakistan is not affected by the reality of differently thinking parties on the political front. In 2014 the strict opponent of ruling PML-N, Pakistan Tehreek e Insaaf held a sit in in Islamabad during which its leader Imran Khan met with the Chinese delegation ensuring them that the sit in was against the government and not against the CPEC. As far as Pakistan people's party is concerned they will never oppose the CPEC because Sindh will be the maximum beneficiary of CPEC. In 2018 after the general elections, Imran khan formed the government, he included the complete support of CPEC in his first hundred days plan. The previous government wanted to keep the CPEC agreement in secret but Ahsan Iqbal later made it public. Imran Khan has also been a supporter of making the agreement public to ensure that no heavy interest rates have been agreed upon on these projects. In the future, funds worth billions of rupees are expected to be released for the CPEC projects like Sukkhur Hyderabad motorway, KP, Baluchistan and development of special economic zones in Punjab. ML1 railway project and IPPs will soon see the light of day.

Like other challenges, CPEC is also a test of Pakistan's governance for its political and economic benefits. It is imperative for heavy investments that the division of developments funds should be transparent and responsible. The security of the employees working for the CPEC can pose another big challenge for which ten thousands security personnel have been deployed. Curbing of India's negative interference in CPEC will be another tough nut to crack for Pakistani government. Iran is viewing Gawadar sea port as a potential competitor for its Chabahar seaport. This being the reason that India has collaborated with Iran for the development of Chahbahar. The biggest beneficiary of Chahbahar will be Afghanistan.

To counter the increasing influence of China in the region, America is trying its best to declare the CPEC as a failure even before its completion. Its allegations range between terming CPEC as China's increasing debt on Pakistan to terming it as China's vile political ambition.

China's one belt one road holds the importance of the jugular vein for the regional political economies. Sixty countries will be reaping the fruits of this development project. All these countries need to stay vigilant against the western propaganda. This project is a reflection of China's farsightedness for the international regional political economies. All the countries associated with the BRI will have to unite to form an economic unity so that the common social political and economic interest can be safeguarded. In order to formulate hopeful policies, all the member countries will need to restrict their media from running fake and malicious campaign against the projects. In order to fortify an economy along with heavy investments the positive and responsible role of media is very important.


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