Pakistan Economic Corridor Research Articles

Research on the Classification of Concrete Sulfate Erosion Types in Tumushuke Area, Xinjiang

Tumushuke, a significant node of “the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor” and “the Silk Road Economic Belt”, is strategically located in the southern region of Xinjiang. Due to the widespread distribution of its salty soils, concrete construction safety is significantly compromised. The construction of this project used sulfate-resistant cement, which was costly to construct. Six groups with varying sulfate immersion concentrations were set up to perform sulfate erosion tests and sulfate freeze–thaw coupling tests, respectively, based on the survey of the distribution of sulfate concentration in the area. The Tumushuke area’s concrete erosion kinds were classified using a microanalysis of the degraded concrete. The findings indicate that the concrete primarily exhibits gypsum-type erosion when the sulfate concentration is greater than 20,000 mg/kg, ettringite–gypsum-type erosion when the sulfate concentration is between 15,000 and 20,000 mg/kg, and ettringite-gypsum-type erosion when the sulfate concentration is less than 15,000 mg/kg. The erosion product, carbon–sulfur silica-calcite, also occurs under sulfate freeze–thaw coupling. In the Tumushuke area, ettringite-type erosion damage is primarily found in low-sulfate areas in the southwest and a small portion of the northeast. In contrast, higher-sulfate areas in the central northward area are primarily affected by ettringite–gypsum and gypsum-type erosion damage. The results of this study can provide a basis for adopting different anti-sulfate erosion measures for engineering construction in different regions.

China–Pakistan Economic Corridor

China and Pakistan celebrated the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2023. Over the past decade, the CPEC has been developed amid controversies and challenges, and has achieved notable successes, especially in large-scale infrastructure construction, which has laid the foundation for Pakistan’s economic development in the long term. However, the ever-changing domestic and international environment has not alleviated the challenges and risks facing the future development of the CPEC. Domestic instability in Pakistan, as well as intensifying strategic competition between the United States and China, could affect the future of the CPEC.

THE CHINA PAKISTAN ECONOMIC CORRIDOR’S EXTENSION INTO CENTRAL ASIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

There has been considerable scholarly and analytical debate on whether projects under Belt and Road can benefit states with a history of war and domestic upheaval. The same debate applies to regional connectivity projects such as the flagship China Pakistan Economic Corridor given its close geographical proximity to restive Afghanistan. This research article examines the potential of the $62 billionCPEC project extending into Central Asia and contributing to Afghanistan’s stability. Also analyzed are the challenges in 2022 such as a fragile securitysituation domestically after the US withdrawal in 2021, global economic deprivation due tothe Russian war on Ukraine and several projects of the corridor still being a work in progress. The research design is a mixed-method analytical approach.This article affirms that the aforementionedchallenges must be overcome holistically,practically and through shrewd policy makingbeforeit can extend into theCentral Asian states and Afghanistan.

Optimizing Logistics and Transportation Locations in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor: A Strategic Risk Assessment

Logistics centers (LCs) have become a critical component of supply chain networks, playing an essential role in the development and implementation of logistics and supply chain management strategies. Recognizing the importance of LCs, Pakistan and China have initiated an extensive plan to establish and expand an LC system as part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative. However, the implementation of this plan has faced challenges due to the inadequate prioritization of factors used to identify LCs. This research proposes a structured framework for selecting LC locations, employing a combination of fuzzy logic and the technique for order of preference by similarity to the ideal solution (TOPSIS). These widely used methods address various challenges encountered in location selection. The findings highlight crucial logistics hubs in China and Pakistan, emphasizing factors such as port accessibility, freight demand, and transportation costs. The prioritization of criteria for LC selection is determined through the evaluation of variables and alternatives. The proposed framework enhances decision-making based on multiple criteria by addressing uncertainty and subjective assessments.

The China–Iran strategic deal and CPEC: Navigating the influence of pragmatic balancing in China's relations with Iran and Pakistan

AbstractThis article argues that China is advancing its relations with Iran and Pakistan based on pragmatic balancing, a key component of soft balancing, to safeguard and advance national self‐interest. China's relationship with Pakistan is based on shared interests to counter the Indian hegemony in South Asia and end the Chinese energy security dilemma through an overland route of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The bilateral relationship has enhanced and expanded over the years, despite steep transformations in regional geopolitics. Meanwhile, abundant Iranian energy reserves and Tehran's willingness to support China against the United States in the Middle East encouraged the Chinese leadership to sign a strategic deal with no significant ramifications for Pakistan and CPEC. The fair‐weather friendship between China and Iran remains limited in scope, often suspending cooperation in various domains, including energy and defense. Nonetheless, an all‐weather friendship between China and Pakistan sustained the collaboration of security, economy, and diplomacy, meticulously representing sincerity and cordiality.Related ArticlesBishwakarma, Jham Kumar, and Zongshan Hu. 2021. “Problems and Prospects for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).” Politics & Policy 50(1): 154–79. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12443.Singh, Amit, and Amit Sarwal. 2017. “Paraspara, Encounters, and Confluences: India's Soft Power Objective in the Indo‐Pacific Region.” Politics & Policy 45(5): 733–61. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12222.Zaidi, Syed Muhammad Saad. 2020. “American Global Supremacy under Threat? The Chinese Factor.” Politics & Policy 49(2): 502–28. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12402.

Energizing dissensus: Socio-technical (counter) imaginaries along the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor

The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor is a featured project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative that is creating new resource frontiers in Tharparkar, Pakistan. Centered around coal mining and energy production, these new sites of resource extraction and their infrastructures have sparked dissensus throughout the Desert district of Sindh, Pakistan. Our analysis draws on research on socio-technical imaginaries and Rancière’s thoughts on political change and aesthetics. In doing so, we examine how political dissensus is represented though graffiti and works in contrast to the socio-technical imaginaries represented by the state in public signage. The differences, we suggest, represent socio-technical counter imaginaries that form a politics that disrupts the established socio-political order embedded within the political goals of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. These counter imaginaries have important implications for the creation of just and equitable opportunities for people impacted by the emerging coal extraction and power generation complex. Our ethnographic approach provides a street-level analysis of the politicization of imagined socio-technical futures in the Tharparkar desert and emerging energy resource frontiers.

Экономика Пакистана – причины и последствия замедленного роста

Immediate causes of Pakistan’s economy lagging behind the economies of neighboring countries, such as Bangladesh, India, and China, in the first quarter of the current century lie in a mixture of internal and external circumstances. Primarily, it is the state’s involvement in the “war on terror” that unfolded after the events of September 11, 2001, as well as exogenous natural shocks and financial policy with a built-in dependence on external sources of credit. The deep underlying factors of slower growth include the fundamental immutability of the social structure, the dominance of conservative capitalism, the seizure of the state by elites, which seek short-term enrichment, the transformation of Pakistan into a kind of “rentier state”. Nevertheless, the country has certain potential for development. Firstly, a huge young population, which allows for the use of the so-called demographic dividend. Secondly, the state’s favorable geographical location that may help Pakistan to become a bridge between Central and East Asia, on the one hand, and the Near and Middle East, on the other. This advantage has already been partially realized through the implementation of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) investment project. Thirdly, Pakistan’s natural resources are not sufficiently explored and deposits of not only oil, natural gas, and coal, but also metal ores and rare earth minerals can be discovered. In the middle term, Pakistan may embark on the path of accelerating economic growth and become – among other achievements – one of Russia’s important partners in Asia.

Effect of Climate Change on CPEC Route due to Precipitation Variation

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) the game changer not only for Pakistan but also for Asia is nominated for the study area of this research. The maximum portion of CPCE passes through Baluchistan province. Baluchistan province has plains, valleys, mountains, rugged terrain, coastline, and an extreme climate that addresses most of the determinants that affect precipitation. Precipitation in Baluchistan mostly turns into flash floods due to its topography. Flash floods are proven to be more catastrophic and devastating in nature. This study focuses the one of the major aspects of climate change that is variation and trend of precipitation pattern CPEC route. The study investigates the trend of precipitation using nonparametric statistical analysis known as Mann Kendall because when 45 years of precipitation data (1977-2022) was analyzed by four different normality tests it was found to be not normally distributed data. Leading us to the conclusion that a nonparametric test will be applicable to find trend. The monthly precipitation data for selected weather stations along the CPEC route is taken from Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The study provides benefits to the CPEC route in many ways, firstly it provides a trend analysis of precipitation on a monthly, yearly, and seasonal basis, by two methods i) the conventional graphical method and ii) the nonparametric technique known as the Mann-Kendall test. Secondly, the study selected the 9 most common climate indices that affect Pakistan’s climate and precipitation trends by literature review and studying the impact of all the climate indices by applying Person’s correlation. Person’s correlation investigates the linear association of Climatic Indices with Precipitation, and lastly Partial Mann–Kendall for observing the impact of teleconnections on precipitation patterns. This study is the first statistical analysis of the CPCE route and the effect of climate indices on CPEC routes to due precipitation variation and climate indices. This research will provide a baseline study for future comparative studies tracing the effects of CPEC on Precipitation patterns. The research addresses 2 SDGs namely SDG # 11.5 (natural disasters) and SDG#13 (climate action).

A Historical Opportunity for the High Quality Economic Development of Kashi----Based on the Dual Circulation Mode and the Construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor

A Historical Opportunity for the High Quality Economic Development of Kashi----Based on the Dual Circulation Mode and the Construction of China Pakistan Economic Corridor

Logistics performance system and their impact on economic corridors: a developing economy perspective

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the various systems in logistics industry of Pakistan through the lens of the World Bank's logistics performance indicators (LPI) and understand their impact on the China–Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) that is a vital part of China's belt and road initiative (BRI).Design/methodology/approachIn this study thematic analysis was performed on twenty-three semi-structured interviews with experts in Pakistan's logistics and supply chain sector to gain an in-depth insight into the logistics performance relative to CPEC.FindingsA performance gap exists in the logistics systems in Pakistan, both for hard and soft infrastructure. The significant challenges are the inefficiencies of the government, minimal use of information and computing technology (ICT), and an incapable workforce. It is essential to be cognizant of the ground realities and amendments required in the existing policies and practices in light of the challenges faced and best practices adopted by developed and developing countries with good standing in logistics performance. This study will guide policymakers and practitioners for hard and soft logistics infrastructure improvement, which may benefit economic corridors in general and CPEC in particular.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the role of ICT in improving both soft and hard logistics infrastructure, which can lead to significant development of economic corridors. The study makes use of a case study of the CPEC to demonstrate the lack of ICT can hamper the growth of an economic corridor despite billions of dollars of investment in the hard infrastructure development projects.

Flood Risk Assessment Based on Hydrodynamic Model—A Case of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor

Under global warming, flooding has become one of the most destructive natural disasters along the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which significantly jeopardizes the construction and ongoing stability of the CPEC. The assessment of regional flood potential is, therefore, crucial for effective flood prevention and relief measures. In light of this, our study applied MIKE 11 hydrodynamic model for the Indus River Basin of Pakistan to achieve a comprehensive analysis of the flood-affected locations and depths under typical scenarios. The flood risk zones along the CPEC were evaluated using the indicator system method in conjunction with the combination weighting method. The results show that the hydrodynamic model has a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.86, allowing for the investigation of floods at more precise temporal and spatial scales. Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan Provinces are the main inundation areas under a 100-year flood scenario, with inundation depths ranging from 1 to 4 m. The coastal regions of Sindh and Hafizabad in Punjab witnessed the most severe floods, with maximum inundation depths exceeding 8 m. Flooding predominantly impacts the southeastern region of the CPEC. The medium- to high-risk zones comprise 25.56% of the region, while high-risk areas constitute 4.18%. Particularly, the eastern and southern regions of Punjab, along with the central and southern regions of Sindh, have been pinpointed as high-risk areas, primarily due to their dense population and riverine characteristics. Overall, our findings provide a scientific basis for informed decision making pertaining to disaster reduction and flood prevention.

The Impact of Pak and China Cultural influences on CPEC Energy Project Moderating effect in South Asia: A Case Study from Pakistan

Pakistan is a growing nation working to integrate with foreign business for efficient economic activity. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor is pushing Pakistan's corporate and industrial sectors to accelerate their strategy and developmental implementation processes in order to stay competitive or outperform it. For this reason, China is setting the pace in the business while Pakistan is gradually embracing CSR. This essay aims to investigate the indirect and direct effects of innovation on corporate social responsibility and business performance in Pakistan's manufacturing sector. Three years' worth of panel data were gathered for this. The institutional theory and resource-based theory form the foundation of the theoretical framework. Using the multiple regression technique, the direct and moderating effects were examined. CPEC (China Pakistan economic corridor) is a huge bilateral initiative and developmental project that was started by Pakistan and China, in which the major focus is on the enhancement and modernization of the infrastructure of Pakistan in terms of improving trade with China. Because of CPEC uncountable potential and possible benefits to economic growth and economic development of common people's lives, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become a huge success not just for authorities but also for ordinary Chinese and Pakistani individuals. It is the biggest and major foreign investment in Pakistan ever conducted by a single country. By being such a source of transporting and moving millions of tons of Chinese products to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe through Gwadar port, CPEC has the potential to significantly connect Pakistan and China. Using an event research method and technique, this study adds to the literature by assessing the influence of CPEC on stock returns. We estimate the continuously compounded returns across sectors to see if this impact varies across sectors. Furthermore, this article aims to determine whether or not the effect of CPEC has been penetrated to a fundamental stage. The median equality test is used to analyze the impact of CPEC on non-financial businesses and enterprises listed on the Karachi Stock Exchange's quality of financial reporting. The impact of CPEC on the stock market is found to be favorable and encouraging but not considerable, indicating that the stock market's exceptional performance cannot be ascribed to CPEC. At the national and regional level, the significance and impact of CPEC is also mixed.

Boosting green energy: impact of financial development, foreign direct investment, and inflation on sustainable energy productivity in China–Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) countries

Boosting green energy: impact of financial development, foreign direct investment, and inflation on sustainable energy productivity in China–Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC) countries

The Relations Between Pakistan and China

Pakistan and China are exemplary friends and their friendship has laid down indelible imprints on the sand of time. the geographical proximity and mutuality of interest are the key features to promote bilateral relations. Pakistan and China assisted each other in different sectors to strengthen their friendship bond. Pakistan and China have a deep-rooted strategic partnership that spans several decades. This partnership is based on shared interests and mutual trust. Both countries have consistently supported each other on various international issues. Economic cooperation is a cornerstone of the Pakistan-China relationship. China has invested significantly in Pakistan through various infrastructure projects, including the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which aims to connect China's western region to Pakistan's Gwadar Port through a network of roads, railways, and pipelines. This project is seen as a game-changer for Pakistan's economy. Pakistan and China have a growing trade relationship. China is one of Pakistan's largest trading partners, and the two countries have signed several agreements to enhance trade and reduce trade barriers. Pakistan exports various products to China, including textiles, agricultural goods, and seafood. Pakistan and China have a long history of military cooperation. they conduct joint military exercises and have a history of arms sales and technology transfers. the collaboration in the defense sector is an important aspect of their relationship. Both countries often support each other diplomatically in international forums. there are cultural exchanges and cooperation in education and tourism between the two countries. This helps foster people-to-people connections and a better understanding of each other's cultures. the Pakistan-China relationship has significant geopolitical implications, particularly in the context of South Asia. It provides China with a strategic foothold in the region and access to the Arabian Sea through Gwadar Port. It also has implications for the balance of power in the region, particularly in relation to India.

The interplay of entrepreneurial motivations, job attractiveness and family-owned SMEs growth: evidence from China Pakistan Economic Corridor region

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to provide a nuanced explanation of the linkage between entrepreneurial motivations, job attractiveness and growth of family-owned small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) using expectancy and institutional theories.Design/methodology/approachThe data was collected from small family business owners and job seekers in the same companies during interview time using a simple random technique.FindingsThe study found that three EMs among small business owners play a pivotal role in family SME business growth in underdeveloped trade regions like China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. These firms are interested in investing in seaport-related commerce, restaurants or hotels and real estate business.Practical implicationsThe government, small family business owners, universities and regional youth can use this applied research for their benefits alike.Originality/valueThe study contributes in multiple ways. First, the authors brought a unique context in the emerging economies context of an informal economy like Pakistan. Second, the authors have uniquely tested the moderating role of job attractiveness in the least developed regions. Finally, the authors have integrated family SMEs’ expectancy theory and institutional perspective.

Pakistan, China and the Structures of Debt Distress: Resisting Bretton Woods

ABSTRACTPakistan has received a total of 23 loan packages from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) between 1958 and 2023, and recurrent indebtedness has hindered structural transformation. Recent crises, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic, surging commodity prices, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and diplomatic tensions between the United States and China, have exacerbated Pakistan's indebtedness. This debt has geopolitical importance given the rivalry between the US and China. Multilateral support for restructuring has been complicated by Pakistan's unique alliance with China through the China‒Pakistan Economic Corridor, pivotal to the Belt and Road Initiative. This analysis of Pakistan's debt crisis explores this complexity by considering the Pakistani government's attempts to resist the IMF, particularly between 2018 and 2022, when the potential of China as an alternative source of financial support looked increasingly viable. Unlike less critical political analyses on debt, which tend to be preoccupied with endogenous governance failures and fiscal profligacy, this article focuses on the external drivers of debt. In doing so, it highlights the role of a hostile international legal system, standard‐setting arrangements, rating agencies and arbitrary charges that impose huge economic burdens and undermine financial stability, as well as the constraints embedded in the global investment and financial architecture that persistently limit Pakistan's policy space.

Pakistan in 2023: On the Brink of a Full-Blown Crisis

Pakistan continues to face multiple sources of internal and external conflicts. Its all-powerful military is engaged in a subterranean battle to maintain its power. Economically, the country persisted in troubled waters as it has been for most of its recent history. In domestic politics, the failed experiment of a hybrid regime under Ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan forced the military to part ways with Mr Khan and install a coalition government of 13 political parties through a no-confidence vote in parliament in April 2022. Mr Khan’s political party is facing a severe crackdown in Pakistan after he accused the powerful military of his ouster from power. At the regional level, a favourable outcome in Afghanistan in the shape of the Taliban’s takeover has not yielded any significant positive results for Pakistan. After concluding the Afghan conflict on a favourable note, paradoxically, the military establishment hints at a desire to shift away from geo-security to geo-economics in its foreign policy goals. At the extra-regional level, the military is walking a tightrope to balance its ties between the USA and China to offset any adverse consequences arising from its strategic partnerships with China over China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). In this article, we explain a series of issues confronting Pakistan currently—including a deep economic crisis, political paralysis, and a resurgent terror threat—focusing on the military’s ambitions in the region and beyond.

Empirical Case Studies on the Economic and Political Effects of the Belt and Road Initiative in Pakistan, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Montenegro

The Belt and Road Initiative has had a wide range of effects on participating countries. Its economic and political implications continue to raise important questions about China’s global influence using soft power. The BRI initiative has the potential to accelerate globalization and boost domestic economies. This paper analyzes the BRI’s involvement in three geopolitical regions (Asia, Africa, and Europe) by examining the economic and political impacts of four internal BRI projects: Chinese Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, International Hambantota Port, and Bar Boljare Highway. The analysis is conducted by examining different outcomes of each project using a predetermined rubric which considers economic (GDP, FDI, trade, social welfare, debt sustainability) and political (internal power, international relations) implications. The analysis of all four case studies conclude that Kenya and Pakistan have benefited from their respective BRI projects, while Sri Lanka and Montenegro’s BRI projects appear unsuccessful due to lack of strategy involved in their placement/creation. Furthermore, all four countries suffer from varying amounts of debt distress as a result of Chinese BRI investment. Lastly, the BRI provides outlets for Chinese involvement in internal power (especially in the case of Kenya and Sri Lanka), as well as strengthens Sino relations with participating countries.

Choosing between energy and ecologies of health: Understanding developmentalism, state formation and local life worlds

AbstractEnvironmental crises, precipitated by a globally dominant model of developmentalism, have changed the lives of less visible communities in geographical peripheries. This study draws on our participant observation of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in general as a massive infrastructural development project and the Qadirabad coal power plant as one of many CPEC projects where developmentalism and local lives intersect with each other. We have presented evidence of how massive development projects bring about consequential but disguised social and environmental impacts on locals. The locals' narratives show that the Qadirabad project has brought about economic, agricultural and environmental degradation in their lives. They believe that the governments in Pakistan are conscious of foreign projects with adverse effects on the everyday lived realities of the people but willfully choose to ignore them.

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: A Comprehensive Guide to Enhancing Economic and National Security, Stability, and Sustainability

A strong economy is the backbone of a strong nation. Pakistan has experienced security challenges since the beginning that has shifted its attention to defense, which diverted its focus from economic stability. And from the standpoint of independence, Pakistan has territorial disputes with neighboring countries such as Afghanistan and India. This has made it difficult for the country to maintain strong trade relations with them and has hindered diplomatic relations with Pakistan. Programs like China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have provided the country with an opportunity to improve its economic conditions. The CPEC can be a game changer for Pakistan. It is a project of regional connectivity, a part of China's Belt and Road initiative (BRI) This would assist not just Pakistan but also Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asian countries and in some way Middle Eastern states. Under this program, these countries will have improved roads, railways, air transportation, and the frequent and free exchange of goods so that they will have open borders like European countries as a result of which Pakistan will have less security issues and more economic opportunities. Pakistan's current budget (2022-23) allocates 58 percent of its budget to loan repayment and defense, the remaining 42%(News, 2022) is very less for making the country stable or sustainable. The CPEC is a long-term program that will help Pakistan achieve economic and national stability and sustainability. The CPEC model is a win scenario that will result in a linked and integrated area that shares harmony and growth.