Strategic Importance of Pakistan Towards China

Presented By: Muhammad Zeeshan

Registration #: 14-NTU-0122

Geographical Description of Pakistan Pakistan is located in South-East Asia. 24.35 North to 37.05 North Latitude and 61 East to 78

East longitude. East: India West : Iran North: China North West : Afghanistan South : Arabian Sea

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Khyber Pass connects Pakistan and Afghanistan. Khunjrab Pass links Pakistan and China. Pakistan and Iran borders meet at Koh-i-Tuftan.

Strategic Importance of Pakistan

Gateway to Central Asia: Pakistan is at the middle of Asia and near the countries rich in gas and oil resources. So it is always been focused region of western quest for oil and energy.

Proximity of great powers: US interest in Asian region to contain the growing China, nuclear Iran and terrorist Afghanistan. US also get benefits from market of India. So to enter into this region US must have a good relations with Pakistan.

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Significance as Transit Economy: Land locked Afghanistan finds its way through Pakistan. China with its fastest growth economy of 9% GDP is 4500km from Sinkiang but Gwadar is only 2500km away. Gwadar port with its deep and warm waters attracts the trade ships of CAR and South East Asian Countries. Pakistan provides shortest route to Central Asian region. Important link in the chain of Muslim

Countries: Pakistan is Situated at the center of Islamic countries of Asia and Africa. It is linked to these countries by land and sea routes. It actively works for mutual alliance and unity of Muslims.

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Only Muslim country with Nuclear Capability:

Among all the Muslim countries, Pakistan is the only Muslim country having nuclear capability which have great influence on activities in the region.

Strategic importance of Pakistan Towards China

Gwadar Port: Gwadar is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea it is in Pakistan's

western province of Baluchistan. Gwadar is only 2500km away from China while Sinkiang is 4500 km away.

The surrounding region is home to around two-thirds of the world's oil reserves. It is also the nearest warm-water seaport to the Middle East Region but energy rich, Central Asian Republics and landlocked Afghanistan.

China is developing its own western region and has been building a network of roads in Pakistan, and intends to lay pipelines and a railway track. Pakistan offered China a ‘trade and energy corridor’ via Gwadar, linked to inland roads. The plan would see oil being imported from the Middle East, stored in refineries at Gwadar and sent to China via roads, pipelines or railway.

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Due to the strong military ties between China and Pakistan, Gwadar port has received excessive attention from the very beginning. Despite its being over a decade since China started construction of the first phase, no military-related activity has ever been observed there. If China intended to use a Pakistani port for naval purposes, Karachi, with its established military infrastructure, is an alternative that is available. Although Karachi has the strategic disadvantage of proximity to India.

China’s link with Middle East: Middle east region is the heart of Muslim world. Any

country who have good relations with Middle east region may rule the whole Muslim world.

Middle east needs Pakistan land for trade with the whole world. These Gulf States possessing 63% of world’s oil reserves. To fulfill oil and gas needs, China also want to build good relations with Middle east region.

Pakistan is the only short and direct link between china and middle east. In development of this link, making Gwadar port functional will play an important role.

China-India Boundary Issues: India have conflict with both Pakistan and China on Siachen Glaciers. China also handed over its two check posts to Pakistan army and pay for them to Pakistan army. After Sino-Indo war(1962), China built good relations with India’s biggest rival i.e. Pakistan.

Economic Corridor: The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is an under construction $46 billion megaproject which is intended to upgrade and expand Pakistani infrastructure.

A network of pipelines to transport liquefied natural gas and oil will also be laid as part of the project, including a $2.5 billion pipeline between Gwadar and Nawabshah to transport gas from Iran.

Under CPEC, China will grant Pakistan $230 million in order to construct a new international airport in Gwadar which is to be operational by December 2017.

Cont.…. Under the CPEC project, China has announced financing for $10.63 billion worth of transportation infrastructure so far; $6.1 billion have been allocated for road construction at 1.6 percent interest rate, while $1.6 billion have also been allocated for mass transit at a 2.4% interest rate.

The CPEC project also emphasizes major upgrades to Pakistan's aging railway system. Part of the plan includes a $3.65 billion overhaul of the of Karachi–Peshawar main railway line with expected completion by December 2019. Overhauling of the tracks will permit train travel at up to 160 kilometers per hour, versus the average 60–80 km per hour speeds currently possible on existing rails.