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APD writer Lin Yue
Cooperating with the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) of Pakistan, the Beijing Forum is to establish its first flagship overseas chapter during May 24 to May 26 in Islamabad.
The Beijing Forum, which was established in 2004, is an annual event aims to promote the study of humanities and social development as well as provide assistance in international academic exchange for encouraging social development in Asia, harmony between societies, and greater prosperity for all of mankind.
"(Organizing Beijing Forum in Pakistan) is an ideal way of commemorating 65 golden years of China-Pakistan iron friendship," Amer Hashmi, the Advisor of NUST and the President of NUST Global Think Tank Network(GTTN) told APD in an exclusive interview, "and it is exactly the pivot of the ever-green collaboration between China and Pakistan in multiple fields."
APD: How do you evaluate the importance and value of holding such a forum in present and what outcomes do you expect for this forum? How will China and Pakistan develop their traditional friendship in the context of the contemporary economic and social cooperation?
Amer Hashmi:The establishment of flagship overseas chapter of the prestigious Beijing Forum at the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Pakistan marks an important landmark in the progression of Sino-Pak relations, specifically their knowledge-based partnership.
Beijing Forum, organized by China’s leading university, the Peking University (PKU), has been successfully promoting rewarding linkages among intellectuals who aspire to create a better world for everyone. The Forum’s focus on The Harmony of Civilization and Prosperity for All through the study of humanities and social sciences and academic exchanges, by far encourages social and economic harmony not only in Asia but the world beyond.
Pivoted on its theme of the role of "China and Pakistan in the Community of Common Destiny for All Mankind", it is set to showcase a fascinating panorama of complementary meetings that will further strengthen Pakistan-China bilateral relations on their political, economic, strategic and cultural convergences. It also holds immense significance for fostering Pakistan’s knowledge landscape and will bring together experts from the two countries and from rest of the world.
Forethoughts on subjects pertinent to international and regional issues and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will shape meaningful intellectual input for collective development. Our Chinese friends deem this initiative as a strong conduit between South and Northeast Asia to facilitate constructive economic cooperation, political trust, cultural and people to people interactions, and dynamic academia.
The event also marks publication of China and Pakistan – "Friends in Deed", an exclusive publication by NUST Global Think Tank Network. The book will present an account of cherished experiences and suggestions by prominent Pakistanis and Chinese, whose inspiring descriptions will make us walk through the journey of almost six decades of mutual trust and mature considerations to define a better future.
Beijing Forum has been attracting eminent scholars, noted intellectuals, leading, statesmen, politicians, and diplomats from around the world. The initiation of the Islamabad Chapter of Beijing Forum is more important given the fact that as Asian neighbors, China and Pakistan are faced with numerous common challenges and opportunities today and the two brotherly countries must collectively strive to tackle these emerging challenges and exploit new opportunities.
China and Pakistan both shoulder the historic mission of achieving national renewal and realizing the great dream of building a strong country for delivering a better life to its people. More than ever, there is a strong need to work together to strengthen the traditional friendship, fully leverage the geographic proximity and economic complementarities to pursue common development. This common development paradigm can only be achieved if cooperation between the two brotherly countries expands in multiple domains including knowledge and education.
Providing a secure and expansive space such as the Beijing Forum for exchange of views in a convivial academic environment is a huge step forward to promote knowledge based cooperation. This significant joint PKU-NUST initiative signifies a new dimension of China-Pakistan relations and cooperation from defense and security to include areas like economic, cultural, social, and knowledge-based collaboration.
It is well-timed because the bilateral cooperation between China and Pakistan is going through the extremely significant phase consisting of the development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This crucial phase of China-Pakistan bilateralism requires comprehensive and continual reflection on the overall direction and specific aspects of the CPEC.
APD: Concerning China's Belt and Road Initiative, what are the opportunities and challenges do you suggest for both countries?
AmerHashmi: The Belt and Road Initiative by His Excellency Xi Jinping is a key to prosperity and sustainable socio-economic development for the region and the world at large. It can rightly be said as the onset of new era of collective transformation. The initiative and the trail of development strategies associated with it exhibit a resolve to rejuvenate the harmony of civilizations through and ensuring prosperity for all.
The initiative has a global strategic importance and spans over countries and regions which account for almost half of the world’s population. It promises an economic activity worth trillions of dollars. It is a vision with world-changing implications, an unfolding plan that would weave much of Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania and the Middle East closely together through diplomacy, new infrastructure development and establishment of free trade zones.
The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a “flagship project” of a broader policy of the Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to tangibly connect China to its markets in Asia, Africa, Europe and beyond. It has the potential to radically alter the regional dynamics of trade, development and politics. The CPEC represents a new model of Pakistan and China cooperation which will serve against the backdrop of complex and changing regional and international situations. It will uplift the lives of billions of people across China, Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East.
This project offers multiple win-win for both the countries. China seeks for speedy modernization of Xinjiang and other under developed provinces to bring them at par with eastern provinces through development of rail, roads, and ports thereby providing access to previously excluded regions. Also, new opportunities can be sought to move some overcapacity from China, particularly in construction and heavy industry, to overseas markets, will also emerge. Moreover, a fully operational Gwadar Port will ensure speedy and cost effective provision of oil for Chinese industry and domestic sector.
Amer Hashmi, Advisor NUST & President NUST GTTN at a Recently Held Signing Ceremony
For Pakistan, this project shall surely act as a fate changer through convergence of China-Pakistan sustained friendship. The CPEC will greatly benefit in overcoming poverty, unemployment and social alienation of smaller provinces. This trade corridor will witness development of large scale infrastructure and energy projects, and establishment of Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
The planned wind, solar, coal and hydropower projects as well as the massive transmission system would bring life to Pakistan’s remote and underdeveloped terrain. Through mechanisms hinged on policies of transformation, it will open up massive economic opportunities for a large number of people. The availability of energy in the country will revive existing industries, such as textile to full production and add an estimated 2 percent to Pakistan’s GDP growth.
Infrastructure development – including the development of roads, ports and highways will greatly increase Pakistan’s regional connectivity. The areas located around the corridor would become attractive locations for manufacturing, agricultural and services industries, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) would be special beneficiaries. Besides this, the CPEC will also boost tourism in the 73,000 square km region.
However, the project will also have its share of challenges and obstacles. Security is one of the most critical challenge to the CPEC. Both the countries have found a smart way of addressing this concern. Pakistan Army has exhibited iron resolve and have been extremely successful in tackling with this menace. Main terror bases along Pakistan’s Western border have been uprooted and life in these troubled areas has generally returned to normalcy. Development of CPEC will further quell terror and extremism as people will have better employment prospects and job opportunities.
APD: How do you think the development of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor would benefit both countries, and what obstacles do you find for Chinese investors in Pakistan?
AmerHashmi: The CPEC promises myriad of dividends for all stakeholders. The New Silk Road will link China with Europe through Central Asia and the Maritime Silk Road to ensure a safe passage of China’s shipping through the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. CPEC will link China with nearly half of the population of the world.
Development of Gwadar seaport and improvement of the infrastructure in the hinterland would provide an excess to the Chinese ships to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The CPEC and its allied projects will also complement China's Western Development Plan, which includes not only Xinjiang, but also the neighboring regions of Tibet and Qinghai.
Amer Hashmi, Advisor NUST, right side & President NUST GTTN with Owais A Ghani, Senior Fellow NUST GTTN
For Pakistan, CPEC related investments are expected to boost the country’s USD 274 billion GDP by over 15 percent. The corresponding progress and prosperity will open innovative and high-tech avenues for Pakistan. A better management of our social capital will be a ray of hope for the burgeoning youth. Value of CPEC projects would be equal to all foreign direct investment in Pakistan since 1970.
As per estimates, this trade corridor will create some 700,000 direct jobs between 2015-2030 and add up to 2.5 percentage points to the country's annual growth rate. Over USD 33 billion worth of energy infrastructure will be constructed by private consortia to help alleviate Pakistan's chronic energy shortages. These tangible benefits will simply go a long way in improving the social and economic sectors of the country, besides ensuring political stability. The investment and ease of doing business profiles of the country will definitely witness improvement in the wake of greater mobility of peoples, skills and capital.
The project will improve productive capacity and will address investors’ concerns through improved business environment. It must focus on generating semi-skilled labor in the short run to accommodate the investment, and skilled labor in the long run to produce persistent economic prosperity in the future. There are ample precedents showing that Pakistanis are quick to adapt and will utilize the opportunity, as was the case in Gulf construction boom. Thus, it is expected that once the projects kick off, there may be greater incentives for people to pick up requisite skill sets for lucrative emerging opportunities.
APD: Closely related to the Belt and Road Initiative, the CPEC is regarded as the link between China's maritime and overland Silk Road, with the port of Gwadar forming the crux of the CPEC project. With the increasing interests of Chinese investors, concerns on security and policy follow. What do you think on these issues?
AmerHashmi:Political instability is the greatest impediment to any project around the world and the CPEC is no exception. There is a political tug-of-war within Pakistan about the routes and financial aspects of CPEC. The silver lining remains that all provinces want to be a part of this project and expect to gain from it. Thus, sooner the results of this mega project appear for the common man, the better entrenched it will become. The biggest threat in this regard is inordinate delays and snags which can potentially disillusion the populace of its viability and value.
NUST GTTN Senior Fellows, Members & Guests at GTTN Network Lecture Series
As an economic enterprise the greatest challenge for CPEC comes from competitors. The Iranian port Chabahar is said to be one. However, Gwadar’s potential outweighs that of Chabahar. The regional actors must focus on capitalizing the collective strategy for optimizing gains.
In the past, Pakistan and China have engaged in a variety of difficult projects that were thought impossible due to the constraints involved and still managed to achieve success. The Karakorum Highway stands as a testament to the friendship and resolve of the two countries. CPEC offers an opportunity to take this friendship to the next level. Both countries should expect to be patient, resolute and committed to achieve a new milestone in their shared destiny.
(APD)
