EVENTS

Abstract

The CPEC was proposed by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang during his visit to Pakistan in May 2013. It was formalised two years later in May 15 during the visit of President Xi Jinping to Pakistan. China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has therefore been a work in progress for the past three years. On the 13 November 2016, the first overland consignment of containers from China arrived at Gwadar and thereafter moved via sea. The high profile event was widely covered by the media, bringing focus back on CPEC. The exact contour of CPEC has been mired in wide media coverage and propaganda. The enormous scope of project is another challenge to the scholars.  There has also been a move for further infusion of funds from China taking the investment to close to 55bn USD. The talk will attempt to segregate available information into manageable segments focussing on the road, rail, port and energy projects under the CPEC ambit. It shall include analysis from a geographic perspective and bring out the current budgetary outlays of the project. Energy occupies a very large space in the plans; therefore the significance of the energy projects will be discussed in some detail, including its link to economy.

Cdr MH Rajesh is a Research Fellow with the United Services Institution of India. He has over two decades of experience in the Navy where he tenured staff and sea tenures including Command of a Submarine. He has a Post Graduate Degree in Strategic Studies from Madras University. His present area of work at the USI is China and Indian Ocean.