ISLAMABAD: Third-party inclusion in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC) would not only improve the project’s outcomes over the next decade, but would also stimulate socioeconomic growth in Pakistan and the region, according to a political analyst who spoke with APP.
“The CPEC is an open corridor, and both Pakistan and China will welcome the inclusion of any third party in this multi-billion-dollar deal,” said Muhammad Zamir Assadi, a Pakistani political analyst and research fellow at the China International Press Communication Center.
He indicated that the investment may come from either foreign governments or foreign corporations.
“The project has changed Pakistan’s socioeconomic environment, and much more will be produced in the upcoming phase,” he continued.
It is important to note that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was introduced in 2013 as the centerpiece project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), connecting Gwadar Port with the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Northwest China. The initiative prioritizes industrial cooperation, transportation, and energy.
In order to improve the development of energy-efficient industries in the nation, Assadi stated, “CPEC has expanded industrial cooperation, promoted Pakistan’s industries from assembling imported parts and components to localized production of parts, and encouraged various forms of Chinese enterprises to enter the Pakistan market.”
