By Kanan Alibayov
It is no surprise that we could find Chinese products virtually in every market and store all around the world as China being the major and dominant exporter. This kind of Economic advantage allows China to be the in position to dictate world economy by disturbing economic wealth while allowing countries to be self sufficient and independent from western influence that comes with hard power and military bases. On the other hand Beijing’s policies ignore strategic policies of military deployment and taking over military bases. Rather, it holds onto the field of economic development which is undermines US’s hold in the region as a superpower.
Chinese strategic interests in Russia increased strengthening position in the world and regionally, it’s ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, fundamental interests in security, changing behavior of the West towards China among others.
Rapidly changing geopolitics are having a deep impact on this Region. Nations are aligning their interests, partners, foes, and friends. The convergence of interests has brought Pakistan and Russia closer. Both countries are victims of the Western World’s sanctions, isolations, and stepmother attitude, forcing Pakistan and Russia to come closer and face imposed challenges together.
Regional nations have to collaborate with each other and protect themselves from Western World’s aggressive policies and coercion. The Region is united under BRI and SCO umbrella. Bilateral ties are also strengthening in the whole Region.
Russia and Pakistan are cooperating in many aspects, especially on the economy, trade, and investments. The recent deal reached between Pakistan and Russia to build a significant gas pipeline linking Pakistan’s southern port of Karachi to industrial hubs Lahore. The agreement is one of the largest deals worth above US Dollars two billion between Moscow and Islamabad since the 1970s. The Last big deal was Pakistan Steel Mill, Karachi, in the 1970s.
The North-South Gas Pipeline that has now been retitled as “Pakistan Steam Gas Pipeline”, is a flagship project the two countries expect to undertake ever since they decided to bury their Cold War rivalry and enter into a new era of bilateral ties.
The agreement was initially signed in 2015, but because of possible US sanctions on the Russian companies and other issues, the work on the 1,122-kilometre-long pipeline could not be initiated.
However, the two sides finally overcame those obstacles and signed an amended agreement that would now give 74 percent stakes in the pipeline to Pakistan.
Imran Khan hit back at Western envoys who urged his country to join condemnation against Russia over Ukraine. Khan questioned whether the EU thought of Pakistanis as their “slaves.”
“What do you think of us? Are we your slaves… that whatever you say, we will do?” (Reuters)
here is some BRI details:
The BRI or the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is the collective name for a plethora of Sino-Pakistani projects that primarily concentrate on infrastructure and energy, with an estimated budget of more than $62 billion.
Within the first seven years of its existence, the Belt and Road Initiative resulted in the completion of 24 energy projects, which are worth $25.5 billion altogether.
These activities were later reframed as part of the so-called “China-Pakistan Economic Corridor” (CPEC), which was only officially launched in April 2015 while China’s president Xi Jinping visited Pakistan. Emphasis shifted towards power generation in Pakistan, and estimated costs ballooned to 46 billion USD. The two governments then drew up a “Long Term Plan,” starting in 2017 and drastically expanding the projected timeline for implementation up to 2030. Projected costs moved up to 62 billion USD, and Pakistani officials have since mentioned even higher numbers.
Chinese wisdom holds that state-driven investment in infrastructure creates economic growth, social stability, and an improved security environment. As a counterweight to India in South Asia and a potential training ground for Uyghur militants from Xinjiang, the stability of its “all-weather” ally is a major concern for Beijing, and so CPEC was deemed a necessary strategic commitment.
Russia-China trade turnover up almost 40% in two months
Mutual trade between the countries increased by 38.5% year-on-year, data from the first two months of 2022 reveals.
Russian exports to China jumped 35.8% over the period to $13.8 billion, while Moscow imported $12.6 billion worth of goods and services from China, an annual growth of 41.5%.
Analysts list Russian oil and gas exports, non-ferrous metals, and agricultural goods as the main exports that will contribute to the growth of trade between the countries.
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