PMS 2021 Solved Pakistan Affairs Past Papers | Pakistan’s Relation with China in the Context of CPEC.
The following question of PMS Pakistan Affairs 2021 is solved by Miss Iqra Ali, the best Pakistan Affairs Coach, on the guided pattern of Sir Syed Kazim Ali, which he taught to his students, scoring the highest marks in compulsory subjects for years. This solved past paper question is uploaded to help aspirants understand how to crack a topic or question, how to write relevantly, what coherence is, and how to include and connect ideas, opinions, and suggestions to score the maximum.
Question Breakdown
In this question, the examiner has asked you about two things. First, to examine Pakistan’s relation with China in the context of CPEC. Second, how is it going to be a game-changer for the South Asian region? So, start your answer with an introduction by including all the leading points you will write in your answer. Then, answer by dividing it into two parts and also make subheadings. At the end, conclude your answer.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Throwing a Light on the Status of China-Pak Relations in the Context of CPEC?
- ✓China-Pak Economic Collaboration
- Evidence: According to the newspaper Pakistan Today published on 1st January 2024, the Caretaker Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed said that 36 projects with a cumulative value of 24 billion dollars were completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
- ✓CPEC, a Blue Print for Transformation Ensuring Energy Security for Pakistan
- Evidence: According to an Article (published in the Republic Policy) titled Scrutinizing CPEC Investments: Are the Benefits Worth the Costs? by Zahir Iqbal, among the 38 completed projects, 17 include energy initiatives worth USD 18 billion, seven infrastructure projects, five related to Gwadar, and nine focused on socio-economic development.
- ✓CPEC, Ensuring Bilateral Opportunities and Providing Way to Geopolitical Support
- Evidence: Khalid Rehman wrote in an Article based on findings of an exclusive talk by Sun Weidong, a Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, titled Pakistan-China Relations: CPEC and Beyond, that China is willing to continue its support in maintaining close communication on the Afghan peace process to promote regional peace jointly with Pakistan.
3-How CPEC has the Potential to be a Game-Changer for the South Asian Region?
- ✓By Promoting Regional Economic Connectivity
- Evidence: Khalid Rehman wrote in an Article based on an exclusive talk by Sun Weidong, a Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, titled Pakistan-China Relations: CPEC and Beyond, both local people and the region will benefit from this Initiative and CPEC will never re-take the road of plundering by the colonialists. Instead, CPEC has chosen a new path of mutual benefit and shared prosperity.
- ✓By Providing Energy Security for the Region
- Evidence: Haleema Sadia and Maryam Ibrahim wrote in an Article (published in The Diplomatic Insight) titled CPEC at 10: Milestones, Challenges and Geopolitical Implications that by diversifying China’s import channels, CPEC reduces dependence on the Malacca route, enhances China’s energy security and provides a strategic advantage by circumventing the Malacca choke point and bolstering China’s capability to ensure stable energy supplies.
- ✓By Redefining the South Asia’s Geopolitical Landscape
- Evidence: Khalid Rehman wrote in an Article based on the exclusive talk of Sun Weidong, a Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, titled Pakistan-China Relations: CPEC and Beyond, that Pakistan and China share common interests and aspirations, and our strategic partnership is a factor for global peace, stability, and progress.
4-Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
The China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a $62 billion large-scale connectivity and developmental project (3000km) established on 20th April 2015 between Pakistan and China. It is a part of China’s flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), previously known as One Belt One Road (OBOR), designed to establish a modern-day silk route. However, its key features include infrastructural development, investments in energy projects, industrial development, and providing China with a new route for trade and energy transportation by reducing its dependency on Malacca Strait. Indubitably, CPEC has encouraged amicable relations, the all-weather friendship, between China and Pakistan by comprehensively encouraging cooperation in socio-political, trade and investment, science and technology, culture and education, and security and defense spheres. Also, it strengthens bilateral ties to promote economic cooperation in international and regional affairs. The following points illustrate how CPEC has the potential to be a game-changer for South Asia. First, it can strengthen regional connectivity to increase economic growth by connecting South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Second, it can reduce the dependency of land-locked Central Asian states on the Strait of Malacca by increasing economic activity along the CPEC’s provided trade route by giving access to the Arabian Sea. Also, CPEC-financed projects for electricity generation and transmission have the potential to stabilize energy supplies in the region. Last, it can redefine South Asia’s geopolitical landscape because the growing strategic partnership between the countries and the corridor’s development can challenge the designs of South Asia’s regional hegemon.
Throwing a Light on the Status of China-Pak Relations in the Context of CPEC?
Indubitably, CPEC has further encouraged amicable relations, the all-weather friendship, between China and Pakistan by transforming the strategic partnership, which can be traced back to 1951, to economic. For illustration, the countries have comprehensively encouraged cooperation in socio-political, trade and investment, science and technology, culture and education, and security and defense. Also, it strengthens bilateral ties to promote economic cooperation in international and regional affairs. Moreover, the following aspects illustrate the status of Sino-Pak relations in the context of CPEC.
- ✓China-Pak Economic Collaboration
First, the 1+4 layout, an agreement between the two countries under the CPEC, led to the initial construction of the corridor. It includes four leading areas of China-Pak cooperation: the construction of the Gwadar port, investment in energy, infrastructure development, and industrial development. According to the newspaper Pakistan Today published on 1st January 2024, the Caretaker Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Muhammad Sami Saeed said that 36 projects, valued at 24 billion dollars, were completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Besides, 38 projects worth $25 billion have been completed till now. Moreover, the visualized results are testimony that the CPEC has promoted economic cooperation between the two countries. However, the following three aspects are its demonstration.
- ✓CPEC, a Blue Print for Transformation Ensuring Energy Security for Pakistan
The first aspect of the economic collaboration is energy projects that can abate the energy shortage, constricting the country’s economy in an unprecedented way. The energy projects are the priority projects of CPEC. According to an Article (published in the Republic Policy) titled Scrutinizing CPEC Investments: Are the Benefits Worth the Costs? by Zahir Iqbal, among the 38 completed projects, 17 include energy initiatives worth USD 18 billion, seven infrastructure projects, five related to Gwadar, and nine focused on socio-economic development. The energy projects will add 11000MW of electricity to the country’s grid, which can inject new impetus into its economic growth. Notably, the choice of advanced international standards and technology ensures environmental sustainability.
- ✓CPEC, a Corridor of Opportunities Providing Way to Geopolitical Support
Not only does CPEC provide economic opportunities to Pakistan, but it also provides geopolitical support by ensuring mutual cooperation on major international and regional issues under the framework to gain mutual interests. Pakistan has joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization SCO, and China has shown willingness to extend its cooperation on international platforms, such as the United Nations and SCO. Khalid Rehman wrote in an Article based on findings of an exclusive talk by Sun Weidong, a Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, titled Pakistan-China Relations: CPEC and Beyond, China is willing to continue its support in maintaining close communication on the Afghan peace process to promote regional peace jointly with Pakistan. In the context of mutual interest, Pakistan has extended support to China in breaking the external blockade to China’s restoration of its seat in the United Nations.
How CPEC has the Potential to be a Game-Changer for the South Asian Region?
- ✓By Promoting Regional Economic Connectivity
First, CPEC can strengthen regional connectivity to increase economic growth by connecting South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East through projects like the Gwadar Port. The port connects to western China through highway and rail networks. Khalid Rehman wrote in an Article based on an exclusive talk by Sun Weidong, a Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, titled Pakistan-China Relations: CPEC and Beyond, both local people and the region will benefit from this Initiative, and CPEC will never re-take the road of plundering by the colonialists. Instead, CPEC has chosen a new path of mutual benefit and shared prosperity. Furthermore, it also provides Central Asian states, which are landlocked, access to the Arabian Sea. Therefore, it will also reduce the dependency of South Asia states on the Strait of Malacca by increasing economic activity along the CPEC’s provided trade route.
- ✓By Providing Energy Security for the Region
Second, CPEC-financed electricity generation and transmission projects can stabilize energy supplies in the region. For example, these energy projects can help foster the Industrial growth. As I discussed, it will also reduce the dependency of South Asia states on the Strait of Malacca by increasing economic activity along the CPEC’s provided trade route. Haleema Sadia and Maryam Ibrahim wrote in an Article (published in The Diplomatic Insight) titled CPEC at 10: Milestones, Challenges and Geopolitical Implications that by diversifying China’s import channels, CPEC reduces dependence on the Malacca route enhances China’s energy security and provides a strategic advantage by circumventing the Malacca choke point and bolstering China’s capability to ensure stable energy supplies. In the same way, the CPEC proposes several oil and gas pipelines that can help to improve the energy transportation system from the Middle East to China and South Asia; indubitably, the step can reduce transportation costs and time
- ✓By Redefining the South Asia’s Geopolitical Landscape
As I discussed, CPEC ensures mutual benefits for both countries in the context of geopolitics. Similarly, the project can bring new opportunities for the region. Thus, it has geopolitical effects, such as the growing strategic partnership between the countries and the corridor’s development can challenge the designs of South Asia’s regional hegemon. In addition, the involvement of other countries and the upcoming beneficiaries of the project, such as Nepal and Sri Lanka, can shift traditional alignment with traditional powers. Khalid Rehman wrote in an Article based on the exclusive talk of Sun Weidong, a Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, titled Pakistan-China Relations: CPEC and Beyond, that Pakistan and China share common interests and aspirations, and our strategic partnership is a factor for global peace, stability, and progress. However, in a multi-polar system, Pak-China cooperation is vital to promote international peace and security because the world is now confronted with new challenges of terrorism, food insecurity, water insecurity, environmental degradation, and energy crisis.
Conclusion
Concisely, the China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a large-scale connectivity and developmental project between Pakistan and China and China’s flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) designed to establish the modern-day Silk Route. However, its key features include infrastructural development, investments in energy projects, industrial development, and providing China with a new route for trade and energy transportation by reducing its dependency on Malacca Strait. Indubitably, CPEC has promoted the all-weather friendship between China and Pakistan by encouraging cooperation in socio-political, trade and investment, science and technology, culture and education, and security and defense. Also, it strengthens bilateral ties to promote economic cooperation in international and regional affairs. For illustration, CPEC can encourage regional connectivity to increase economic growth by connecting South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Also, it provides landlocked Central Asian states access to the Arabian Sea, reducing the dependency of South Asian states on the Strait of Malacca. Furthermore, CPEC-financed electricity generation and transmission projects can stabilize energy supplies in the region. Also, it can redefine South Asia’s geopolitical landscape by increasing economic growth and challenging the designs of South Asia’s regional hegemon.
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