By: Shahbaz Ali Abbasi (Columnist, Analyst, Anchor Person and Research scholar…)
Since China started the investment in the different economic, trade, educational, digital infrastructure, and development sectors, the western countries and India are highly confused about China’s role in the modern economic era. Now the question is rising that Why the West is confused about China’s influence in the world. Because the west has a deep interest in developing countries for taking their Natural resources and suppress them with loans and civil wars. On the other hand, China is doing investments in developing countries to develop and to make them stable economically. After the China and Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC) investment in Pakistan, the infrastructure of Pakistan is getting day by day upgrades. And now the SAARC countries are taking an interest to make closer relations with China. The rise to the top for any nation is a gradual process, which involves friends and allies.
The recent visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to Colombo was very important for Regional change. As a development partner of china Pakistan is participating as a special envoy of BRI.
Both Sri Lanka’s and Pakistan’s economic ties to China have strengthened in recent years. According to many observers, that engagement with Beijing highlights the shortcomings of economic engagement with China in general and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) related projects in particular.
Interestingly, the current Sri Lankan government is also closer to China. The Sri Lanka Prime Minister Mahindra Rajapaksa, during his stint as President, pushed Colombo closer to China. During Mr. Khan’s visit, Pakistan offered Sri Lanka a credit line of US$50 million ($63.6 million) for defense and security.
So PM Khan’s visit to Sri Lanka was important from different Economic, diplomatic, and political perspectives.
The relationship between China and Bangladesh is very amiable when it comes to joint ventures to construct infrastructures. The Chinese government and many leading construction companies in China have shown genuine interest in cooperating with Bangladesh to attain better social development by establishing significant infrastructures.
Beyond local politics, however, there are deeper domestic structural and economic drivers. Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka are close to major sea lanes, and building ports there could help the countries take advantage of their proximity to international trade routes.
Now question is that how Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will tackle the Indian influence and how these small states will face Indian strategic, trade, political and diplomatic interests in the region. The Experts of Geopolitical and Geo-Strategic are highly curious about Maritime Security. If China wants to accomplish projects of BRI then they should give proper regional security architecture.
Usman khan orakzai
