Belt and Road Initiative

(BRI) and the China-

Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC):
Historical Context and
Current Developments
Lecture 2
Introduction
• The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global
development strategy proposed by the Chinese
government in 2013.
• It aims to enhance regional connectivity and
promote economic cooperation among the
participating countries.
• The initiative includes two main components:
• the Silk Road Economic Belt, and
• 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road
• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a
flagship project under the BRI, which aims to
connect the western Chinese city of Kashgar to
Pakistan's deep-sea port of Gwadar through a
network of highways, railways, and pipelines.
Belt and Road
• The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a global
development strategy proposed by the Chinese
government in 2013, aimed at promoting economic

Initiative cooperation and enhancing regional connectivity

among the participating countries.
• The six economic corridors under the BRI project
are listed below:
• New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor
• China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor
• China-Central Asia-West Africa Economic
Corridor
• China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor
• China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
• Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic
Corridor
 • The New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor is one of the six corridors of
the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by the Chinese government in 2013.
• The corridor is also known as the Northern Route or the Trans-Siberian Route,
and it aims to connect China with Western Europe through Russia, Central Asia,
and Belarus.
• This corridor connects China with Western Europe through Russia, Central Asia,
and Belarus.

New Eurasian • The route passes through major cities such as Moscow, Warsaw, and Frankfurt,
and includes the development of railways, highways, and oil and gas pipelines.

Land Bridge
Economic
Corridor
Northern Route: A Complex Economic
Corridor

• The New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor is the

longest and most complex of the BRI corridors, covering
a distance of over 11,000 kilometers.
• The corridor starts from the Chinese city of Lianyungang,
passes through Kazakhstan and Russia, and ends in
Western Europe, with major cities such as Moscow,
Warsaw, and Frankfurt along the way.
• The corridor includes the development of infrastructure
such as railways, highways, and oil and gas pipelines, as
well as the promotion of trade, investment, and cultural
exchanges among the participating countries.
• The corridor also aims to enhance regional connectivity
and facilitate the flow of goods and services between
China and Europe.
• The New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor is of strategic
importance to China, as it provides an alternative to the sea route that
China currently uses to transport goods to Europe.
• The sea route is vulnerable to piracy, political instability, and geopolitical
tensions, and the New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor provides
a more secure and reliable alternative.
Strategic Significance to
• The corridor also has the potential to boost economic growth and
enhance regional integration among the participating countries.
China
• It could create new opportunities for trade and investment, as well as
promote cultural exchanges and people-to-people interactions.
Challenges to Northern
Route
• However, the implementation of the New Eurasian Land Bridge
Economic Corridor faces challenges, including
• the need for significant investment,
• the need for coordination among the participating countries,
and
• the need to address geopolitical tensions and security
concerns along the route.
• In conclusion, the New Eurasian Land Bridge Economic Corridor is
a key component of the Belt and Road Initiative, aimed at
promoting regional connectivity and enhancing economic
cooperation between China and Western Europe.
• Its successful implementation could have significant implications
for regional and global economic and political dynamics.
 China-Mongolia-Russia
Economic Corridor

• The China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor is one of

the six corridors of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
proposed by the Chinese government in 2013.
• The corridor aims to connect China, Mongolia, and
Russia through the development of infrastructure,
trade, and investment.
• The China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor covers a
distance of over 8,000 kilometers, starting from the
Chinese city of Hohhot, passing through Mongolia, and
ending in the Russian city of Ulan-Ude.
• The corridor includes the development of infrastructure
such as railways, highways, and oil and gas pipelines, as
well as the promotion of trade, investment, and cultural
exchanges among the participating countries.
Significance of CMREC
The China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor has significant strategic and economic implications for the participating
countries and the wider region.

It provides China with access to the vast natural resources of Mongolia and Russia, while also creating new
opportunities for trade and investment in the region.

The corridor also enhances regional connectivity and facilitates the flow of goods and services between China,
Mongolia, and Russia.

The development of the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor faces challenges, including the need for significant
investment, the need for coordination among the participating countries, and the need to address geopolitical
tensions and security concerns along the route.
Mongolia, for example, is caught between the competing interests of China and Russia, and the development of the
corridor must take into account the concerns and interests of all participating countries.
 • The China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor is one of the

China- six corridors of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by the
Chinese government in 2013.

Central Asia-
• The corridor aims to connect China with Central Asia and West
Asia through the development of infrastructure, trade, and
investment.

West Africa • The China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor covers a

distance of over 8,000 kilometers, starting from the Chinese city of
Urumqi, passing through Central Asian countries such as

Economic
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, and ending in West Asian
countries such as Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
• The corridor includes the development of infrastructure such as

Corridor railways, highways, and oil and gas pipelines, as well as the
promotion of trade, investment, and cultural exchanges among
the participating countries.
• The China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor has significant strategic
and economic implications for the participating countries and the wider
region.
• It provides China with access to the vast natural resources of Central Asia and
West Asia, while also creating new opportunities for trade and investment in
the region.
• The corridor also enhances regional connectivity and facilitates the flow of
goods and services between China, Central Asia, and West Asia.
• The development of the China-Central Asia-West Asia Economic Corridor faces
challenges, including the need for significant investment, the need for
coordination among the participating countries, and the need to address
geopolitical tensions and security concerns along the route.
• The corridor also passes through areas of political instability, such as
Afghanistan and Iraq, which could pose challenges for its successful
implementation.

Significance of China-Central
Asia-West Africa Economic
Corridor
China-Indochina Peninsula Economic
Corridor
• The corridor aims to connect China with the Indochina
Peninsula through the development of infrastructure,
trade, and investment.
• The China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor
covers a distance of over 2,000 kilometers, starting
from the Chinese city of Kunming, passing through
countries such as Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos,
and Vietnam, and ending in the South China Sea.
• The corridor includes the development of
infrastructure such as railways, highways, and ports, as
well as the promotion of trade, investment, and
cultural exchanges among the participating countries.
Strategic Significance of China-Indochina
Peninsula Economic Corridor
• The China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor has significant
strategic and economic implications for the participating countries and
the wider region.
• It provides China with access to the markets and natural resources of
the Indochina Peninsula, while also creating new opportunities for
trade and investment in the region.
• The corridor also enhances regional connectivity and facilitates the
flow of goods and services between China and the Indochina Peninsula.
• The development of the China-Indochina Peninsula Economic Corridor
faces challenges, including the need for significant investment, the
need for coordination among the participating countries, and the need
to address geopolitical tensions and security concerns along the route.
• Some countries in the region have expressed concerns about debt
burdens associated with BRI projects, while others have expressed
concerns about the potential for Chinese dominance in the region.
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is one of the flagship projects of
the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by the Chinese government in 2013.
• The corridor aims to connect China's northwestern region of Xinjiang with
Pakistan's Gwadar port in the Arabian Sea through the development of
infrastructure, trade, and investment.
• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor covers a distance of over 3,000
kilometers, with a network of highways, railways, and pipelines passing through
Pakistan's major cities and economic hubs.
• The corridor includes the development of infrastructure such as highways,
railways, and ports, as well as the promotion of trade, investment, and cultural
exchanges between China and Pakistan.
Strategic Significance of CPEC
• The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has significant strategic and economic
implications for both China and Pakistan.
• It provides China with access to the Arabian Sea, opening up new trade routes and
reducing its dependence on the congested South China Sea.
• For Pakistan, the corridor is seen as a game-changer, with the potential to transform
the country's economy and address issues such as unemployment and energy
shortages.
• The development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor faces challenges, including
the need for significant investment, the need for coordination among the participating
countries, and the need to address security concerns along the route.
• Some critics have raised concerns about the potential for debt burdens associated with
CPEC projects, as well as the environmental and social impact of the development.
Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic
Corridor (BCIM)
• The corridor aims to connect China's southwestern region of Yunnan
with Bangladesh, India, and Myanmar through the development of
infrastructure, trade, and investment.
• The Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor covers a
distance of over 2,800 kilometers, starting from the Chinese city of
Kunming, passing through Mandalay in Myanmar, and ending in Kolkata
in India, with a link to Bangladesh's Chittagong port.
• The corridor includes the development of infrastructure such as
highways, railways, and ports, as well as the promotion of trade,
investment, and cultural exchanges among the participating countries.
Strategic Significance of BCIM
• The Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor has significant strategic and
economic implications for the participating countries and the wider region.
• It provides China with access to the markets and natural resources of South Asia, while also
creating new opportunities for trade and investment in the region.
• The corridor also enhances regional connectivity and facilitates the flow of goods and
services between China and South Asia.
• The development of the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor faces
challenges, including the need for significant investment, the need for coordination among
the participating countries, and the need to address geopolitical tensions and security
concerns along the route.
• Some countries in the region have expressed concerns about debt burdens associated with
BRI projects, while others have expressed concerns about the potential for Chinese
dominance in the region.
Historical Context
• China has a long history of engagement with the region that encompasses Pakistan and other
Central Asian countries.
• The Silk Road, a network of trade routes that connected China with the Mediterranean region
and Europe, was established more than 2,000 years ago.
• The ancient Silk Road facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture between China and
other regions.
• The modern Silk Road initiative, or the BRI, is seen as a revival of this ancient network.
• In the modern era, China's engagement with Pakistan dates back to the 1950s when the two
countries established diplomatic relations.
• Since then, China has provided economic and military aid to Pakistan and has been a key ally in
the region.
• The CPEC, which was launched in 2015, is the latest and most ambitious project under this
partnership.
Current Developments
• The CPEC project is expected to transform the economic landscape of Pakistan and the
region.
• The project includes the construction of highways, railways, and pipelines, as well as
the development of special economic zones and the Gwadar port.
• The total cost of the project is estimated to be around $60 billion, making it one of the
largest infrastructure projects in the world.
• The CPEC has been a topic of controversy and criticism from some quarters.
• Some experts have raised concerns about the financial viability of the project, the
impact on the environment, and the potential for strategic implications.
• Nevertheless, China and Pakistan have continued to move forward with the project
and have signed agreements with other countries, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, to
expand the scope of the initiative.
Alternatives to BRI
• While the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) proposed by China is a major global
infrastructure initiative, there are also other alternatives to the BRI that have
been proposed by various countries and organizations.
• Here are some of the key alternatives to the BRI:
• Build Back Better World (B3W):
• The B3W initiative was launched by the United States and its G7 partners in June 2021.
• The initiative aims to mobilize private-sector capital to support infrastructure development in low- and
middle-income countries, with a focus on climate change, health, and digital technology.
• Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC):
• The AAGC is a joint initiative between India and Japan that aims to promote economic connectivity and
cooperation between Asia and Africa through the development of infrastructure, trade, and investment.
• The initiative focuses on sustainable development, including the development of renewable energy and
the promotion of human resource development.
Alternatives to BRI
• Alternatives to BRI:
• Partnership for Quality Infrastructure (PQI):
• The PQI is a multilateral initiative led by Japan that aims to promote high-quality infrastructure
development in the Indo-Pacific region.
• The initiative focuses on quality, transparency, and sustainability in infrastructure development.
• Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP):
• The TPP is a trade agreement between 12 Pacific Rim countries, including the United States, Japan,
and Australia.
• The agreement aims to reduce trade barriers and promote economic integration between the
participating countries.
• European Union's Connectivity Strategy:
• The European Union's connectivity strategy aims to promote connectivity between Europe and Asia
through the development of infrastructure, including transport, energy, and digital infrastructure.
• The initiative focuses on promoting sustainable and transparent infrastructure development.
Conclusive thoughts
• These alternatives to the BRI reflect the growing importance of
infrastructure development in the global economy and the potential
for infrastructure projects to shape economic and political
relationships between countries.
• While they may differ in their approaches and priorities, they share a
common goal of promoting sustainable and inclusive economic
growth.