Sabena Siddiqi

Offering the shortest and most convenient trade route to Central Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the deep- sea port of Gwadar in Pakistan also links up China’s large, land-locked province of Xinjiang to the Arabian Sea. Taking center-stage ever since China’s mega-project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) kicked off, Gwadar port has made the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) the “flagship corridor” out of all the six corridors of the BRI. Directly accessible sans any diversions via the Straits of Hormuz, this port is time-saving for consignments from the Middle East and Africa to China as the distance is hardly 3,400 miles. Notwithstanding all these advantages, unfortunately Gwadar city has remained somewhat under-developed in the first phase of projects under the CPEC. But things are bound to change fast as the new government under Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to  “broaden the CPEC base”  and allow more third-party investment. Fast-track bas...

The Time is Right to Revive SAARC BIMSTEC can’t carry the weight of regional cooperation, but SAARC can. By  Sabena Siddiqi September 18, 2018               As the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) flounders, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) remains the only viable option for South Asian integration. Holding its 4th summit since it was created in 1997, the BIMSTEC forum, which is comprised of seven South Asian and Southeast Asian nations, was resuscitated recently as a better option than SAARC for regional engagement. However, it has been noted that though both forums can complement each other, there is no possibility of BIMSTEC replacing SAARC. Maintaining a huge difference in stature and size, SAARC has had 18 summits in the 32 years of its existence. and the forum has an extensive network of mechanisms, regional centers a...

As the new Pakistan government begins its tenure, there has been some talk and also some irresponsible reports in Western media of a change in attitude towards the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and possible re-negotiation of the terms and conditions. However, it now transpires that both countries remain on the same page in regard to the Belt and Road Initiative mega-project and the CPEC. In the last few days, top-level consultations have resulted in even better synergy between the two countries, dispelling any doubts about continuity in government policies.  Remaining as top priority no matter which political party comes to power, the CPEC is a bilateral contract respected by all successive governments. In Islamabad on a three-day visit last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Prime Minister Imran Khan, who expressed his absolute commitment to promoting China-Pakistan ties just as he did in his very first post-election victory speech.  Stating tha...

Resetting ties with the US after a rocky year, Pakistan has faced erratic times due to the changed geopolitical realities of this region. It all began in early 2015, when Washington and New Delhi deepened their defense ties and signed a nuclear deal during a visit by Obama. Shortly afterward in the same year, Sino-Pakistan bilateral ties were upgraded and the joint venture called the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CEPEC) was announced by President Xi while on a visit to Pakistan. Later on in August 2016, US-India bilateral ties were further elevated to a strategic alliance and a nuclear pact and logistics deal was signed. Starting from the point that the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA) was signed, a further series of regional re-alignments ensued with Pakistan becoming part of a China-Russia equation. ALSO READ:  China’s geo-economic interests and Middle East energy industry Switching allies, trade pacts were finalized an...

Africa has always lagged behind other continents in international influence. Often considered a backward or “ dark continent ,” as it was called by the explorer  HM Stanley , this part of the world was never in the limelight economically or politically. Afflicted by political instability as well as rampant poverty, it required help from more developed countries. Even though it sits on around 30% of the world’s reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons and is home to nearly 14% of the global population, its share of global manufacturing was a negligible 1% from 2000 to 2011. China’s need for energy and raw materials to maximize its manufacturing capacity and boost its economic growth was a blessing in disguise for African countries, which have seen Beijing increase its engagement with the region over the last couple of decades. Redefining the importance of Africa, China started large-scale trade activities and made its business interests with the continent a top priority. Sin...

dopting similar stances on free trade, counterterrorism and global issues such as climate change, recently Sino-Indian relations have become more multi-dimensional in nature. Working together on platforms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has produced a new synergy between the two nations that could prove auspicious for South Asia. On the world stage also, China and India account for more than a third of the global population and 20% of its gross domestic product. Not only that, they are the biggest, fastest-growing and most populous developing countries, so this is not a minor development. The daily Report   Must-reads from across Asia - directly to your inbox India has been in the process of a rapprochement with China for the past few months. Bilateral ties have been on an upward trajectory since several high-level visits this year, the most significant of which was Indian Prime Minister Modi’s Wuhan summit with Chinese President Xi Jin...