World News | Mistrust hampers CPEC construction: Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], Dec 21 (ANI): Slow progress on the multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has reaffirmed that growing mistrust between the two countries is undermining plans to build the economic corridor from Gwadar port. From the Arabian coast to Xinjiang province in northwestern China, the Policy Research Group (POREG) reported.

In addition to mistrust, the lack of transparency and the tendency of Chinese to avoid locals has also caused resentment among Pakistanis, who have expressed their anger through street protests and violence against Chinese.

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Pakistan’s inability to clear $300 billion worth of dues from Chinese companies working on CPEC power projects also did not help its cause, according to POREG’s report.

Given the dismal status of existing projects, no new CPEC projects were announced during Pakistani Prime Minister Sheikh Baz Sharif’s visit to Beijing in November.

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Besides delays in project implementation, the safety of Chinese citizens remains another bone of contention. In addition, growing discontent in Pakistan is reflected in attacks on China and Chinese assets.

The POREG report added: “These attacks provided the perfect cover for the Baloch nationalists to launch attacks at will, firstly to bring the attention of the authorities and secondly, to register their presence and their demands.”

During Sheikh Baz’s visit to China, Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed “high concern” for the safety of Chinese people in Pakistan and hoped that Islamabad would provide a “safe environment” for Chinese institutions and personnel.

The POREG report also stated that the change of government in Pakistan has further affected the progress of CPEC. “Several projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor program were affected due to opposition from local residents. Some Chinese citizens were killed in Pakistan and these projects were further affected,” it said.

According to POREG, the removal of CPEC powers may not lead to the removal of CPEC itself, but it will have an effect in CEPC, just like China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) enterprises in other parts of the world. (Arnie)

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)