The two-day conference on Belt and Road Initiative in the Changing Regional Dynamics was organized by China-Pakistan Study Center (CPSC) at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) in collaboration with PowerChina.
Foreign Minister of Pakistan Shah Mahmood Qureshi expressing his views at the inaugural session of the conference said things are changing in the region and we are recognizant of alignments.
“Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a transformational venture and can bring peace and development in the region,” he said.
He said that the CPEC, a flagship project of BRI, is a transformational project, adding that completion of the CPEC projects is the number one priority of the Pakistan government.
He noted the completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project will usher in a new era of progress and development in the region.
The minister stressed that Pakistan-China friendship is an example for the world as both the countries are promoting mutual partnership.
Qureshi asserted that the BRI has a central role to play in converting this region into the one rich in opportunities for economic growth and development.
Referring to the critics of the BRI, he said: “We have seen the skepticism among certain quarters who perceive the BRI as a political and economic threat. We think it is unwise to perceive this transformational project in a zero-sum perspective."
Guo Xuetang, Professor at Shanghai University of International Business and Economics speaking at the conference said that survival of Iran nuclear deal Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action is vital for the energy security of the region.
He said that US withdrawal from the JCPOA has put the deal in danger.
He added that energy security is the main issue and if the JCPOA ends it will have a direct impact on Pakistan, China and India. All countries of the region have to face this issue.
Ambassador of People’s Republic to China, Yao Jing commended the efforts by the government of Pakistan in implementing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Pakistani government, the Ambassador said, has adopted economy-oriented foreign policy which, he remarked, was the right policy.
Earlier, in his welcome remarks, DG ISSI, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry y sketched the changing dynamics of the region and said the new great power tussle, initiated mainly by the US, can either yield new globalism or bring the old globalism to halt altogether.
He said that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) can help us navigate the challenges of contemporary times.
In his introductory remarks, Director CPSC, Dr. Talat Shabir emphasized that there is a need to hold debates and generate constructive ideas through research and collaboration.
During the two sessions, the Chinese scholars predicted that CPEC would be a role model for other corridors of BRI.
The conference was an august gathering comprising academia, think-tank community, media personnel from Pakistan and China.
Renowned Chinese scholars, former Pakistani ambassadors, analysts and energy experts gave their views in the conference.
They noted that Belt and Road Initiative would connect China with Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf region. They added that Pakistan has always been a bridge between China and Persian Gulf. It was noted at the event that BRI provides a platform for regional connectivity as it is beneficial for all countries of the region.
They added that many countries have joined the project as the main objective of the project is connect Asia with Europe through energy corridor and enhanced people to people contacts.
They said equality, cooperation and regional co-existence are the hallmarks of the BRI. Scholars were of the view that the project is visionary and futuristic and both China and Pakistan are maximizing their potentials through this partnership.
They said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is part of BRI is a people centric investment in Pakistan which will further strengthen relations between Pakistan and China and would bring economic stability in the region.
Experts said that the CPEC provides a platform for regional integration.
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