How Far Away from Non-interference? A Case Study of China’s Development Initiative in Pakistan

Abstract

ABSTRACT China has been gradually shifting away from its traditional non-interference approach in development initiatives. This is particularly notable in the implementation of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a mega-development scheme that China is advancing in Pakistan. In this case, China’s aid and investment entail extensive interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, forcing Pakistan to alter policies, regulations, and institutional arrangements over its political and economic governance, along with directly engaging with non-governmental actors in the country. Such acts of interference are largely orientated toward centralizing the decision-making and execution process in Pakistan over the CPEC, thereby facilitating its implementation in a manner profitable for Chinese stakeholders. This approach can be regarded as China’s promotion of autocracy in a ‘pragmatic’ way.