In an apparent bid to understand the issues related to the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI) from some of the South Asian nations, China has launched quiet efforts to help elaborate the aims and objectives of the BRI for regional and global connectivity through trade, cultural and social exchanges.
China has launched six economic corridors under its BRI, also known as One Belt & One Road initiative.
According to unconfirmed reports, China plans to invest a hefty amount of USD 900 billion over the construction of the ambitious BRI to connect with over 60 countries from East Asia with Central Asia, Russia, Europe and Africa.
The BRI involves various land and sea routes to help attain greater connectivity for economic integration. This initiative is a brainchild of Chinese President Xi Jinping with an impressive plan to pull around 3.4 billion people of the world from clutches of poverty and integrate them through expanding trade and economic fruits.
The six corridors include: China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor (CMREC); New Eurasian Land Bridge (NELB); China Central & West Asian Corridor (CCWAC); China-Indo-China Peninsula Economic Corridor (CICPEC); China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC); and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIMEC).
In this regard, the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (IDCPC) recently hosted a track-II dialogue, with participation from Pakistan, India, China, Bangladesh and Myanmar.
B R Deepak, Mahendra P Lama, Nimi Kurian and Rajen Singh represented India at the dialogue while NajamRafique, ShahbazBhatti and Mian Abrar attended the dialogue from Pakistan. Bangladesh was represented by Anisatul Fatema, where as Lin Htet, TunTun and Win Tin represented Myanmar.
Besides Beijing, a special visit was also arranged to Kunming and Fujianm, which is the starting point of the ancient Silk Road, which will provide connectivity under the BCIMEC.
“BRI is re-globalisation versus de-globalisation. The West, EU and US have taken a totally 180 degree stance on 180-degreede. Now capacity building programmes are needed to be launched in the developing countries,” said Professor Deepak.
He was of the view that even if India has not publically announced to join the BRI, it has already joined it by joining the Asia Investment & Infrastructure Bank (AIIB). He said China may see India getting closer to the US for security objectives, but India needs China for economic development.
Mahendra Lama noted that unfortunately the entire BRI has been put in a competitive rivalry mode in India purely on a national security laid framework. “We must change this hegemonic framework for economic coordination and cooperative integration mode.
Lama called for more information over the BRI. He said out of eight South Asian states, six have already joined the BRI which reflects a success story already.
Najam Rafique, acting director-general and director research at the Institute of Strategic Studies, Islamabad, said that the CPEC was a success story for the world by all means.
He called for close coordination between think tanks along the CPEC and BCIM corridors by establishing a close cooperative mechanism. He suggested that now is the time for dialogues between Pakistan, China, India, and Iran as well.
He said the Chinese visa regime needs to be reviewed for Pakistani students and entrepreneurs and the people to people and cultural linkages need to be cemented. Moreover, he called for media communication to be enhanced between Pakistan and China too.
Nimi Kurian, another Indian delegate, was of the view that the bordering regions of India may like to join the BCIM, while the central government may join later.
Scholars from Myanmar and Bangladesh also supported the ideas shared by other scholars, asking China to take lead and mitigate the concerns shared by the governments of the two countries.
