Abdul Aziz

In 2013, Xi Jinping made a state visit to Kazakhstan and Indonesia, and announced the Silk Road Belt and Maritime Silk Road. This grand initiative by China creates diverse trade routes by road and maritime, interlinking China with the global and regional markets because BRI work as a centered for the both soft and hard infrastructure collaborating with many states of the world. However, Under the China’s ambarella South Asian small states will engage with China for their development, infrastructure, and economic growth due to the significance of geographic location stretching the BRI toward Central Asia to interconnect the Middle East and Europe. In BRI project China has several advantages: first Beijing will move from long route to short route, and other is China will avoid the dependence on the Malacca strait in the South China Sea by investing in South Asia. Already trade among South Asian states is very less respectively along with long border China will fill this margin. More importantly question rise here Is BRI a share economic vision?  

China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a giant bilateral relation cooperation signed between Pakistan and China in 2015 year. Beijing pledge to invest in this project was $46 billion at that time, but later increase to $65 billion, however CPEC will covers the infrastructure, road, railway and even the mega project Gwadar port which is supply chain for the China access to the strait of Hormuz brining vast number of rich resources such as oil and gases from the middle east. Currently, Pakistan facing issues of political crisis, unemployment and energy resources completion of this will cover these issues a win-win cooperation for the both states. On the contrary, people also concern over China’s debt trap policy because Pakistan already facing economic challenge and large part of his economy depend on IMF program meanwhile, China’s huge investment increasing the dependence of Islamabad on Beijing. Not only economy challenge but geostrategic also this project bypass through the area of Kashmir, however, Delhi views this project as a threat and he wants to secure his territory it’s a major tension among Pakistan and India. In recent decades one thing become very clear India is emerging power in this region however Beijing appears unconcerned about the power of India but Delhi show concern over the rising power of China. Additionally, China wants the strategic location of India over the strategic location of Indo Pacific under the BRI but Delhi takes this project as a debt trap for India even they showed the perception about Sri Lanka how China will access to Hambantota port trapping the government in loans. On the contrary 100 states have recognized the BRI project even in Europe UK show interests toward BRI so, Delhi along with other countries show some interest here because India knows that lack of capacity to counter China why not we should take the advantage of BRI by aligning with Beijing.  

In the past years we have seen that the economy of Sri Lanka running in a crisis even in the year of 2022 Sri Lanka become bankrupt economically, however, the port of Hambantota in the hand of China for 99 years on the behalf of loan. Additionally, in 2014 Beijing construct several infrastructure and development project including roads, expressway, and water sanitation project near the Colombo port city. Respectively, China’s deep pocket, in Sri Lanka willingness to heavy fund infrastructure along with development as a result turn Sri Lanka into the hub of Indian Ocean not allowing the country to mitigated alone with socioeconomic issues. Moreover, China investment in Sri Lanka from the 2006 to 2019 roughly $12.1 billion because the location of Sri Lanka is very pivotal for Beijing this island state interlinking the East to West a maritime route network in Indian Ocean makes this country more important than other South Asian states. Sri Lanka national development strategy have utilized the Hambantota and Colombo port for maritime approach under the BRI investment considering these port significant vibrant Centre for Chinese import and export. According to the American enterprise institute which highlight that total investment in Bangladesh by China around $7.07 Billion, additionally the Beijing companies have received the $22.94 billion in several sectors based on construction contract. China invested $4.45 billion to Bangladesh for the 35 projects in last 10 years under the BRI project. However, this project holds six main economic corridors such as the China-India-Bangladesh and Myanmar for cooperation and connectivity. For the BRI project Bangladesh received the $26 billion and $14 billion for the joint venture projects counting the total worth is $40 billion. Especially Bangladesh is depicting the BRI as a transportation and energy resources in different sectors, a silk road within Bangladesh creating the 12 highway and 21 bridge projects however, Chinese investment surpass the USA trade with Bangladesh under the BRI.

In 2017 Nepal and China both countries signed the agreement of BRI framework and the Beijing side had forwarded the plan in the end of 2019 after that Nepal show serious concern that Nepal is not interested in the Chinese commercial loan and put many other conditions to agree on the support under the BRI. But Nepali people are depicting this project as a hallmark of development through Chinese investments in this region meanwhile hurdle for Nepal only is India in this region because Nepal depend on the India for trade moving toward BRI obtain to roads and railways which reduce the dependency on India. However, the relationship among India and Nepal went in clash when India put embargo on Nepal trade after six month of earth quake in this meantime for Nepal second option is China to put the Nepal economy through BRI. Which interlink both states through trans Himalayan multidimensional connectivity under this factor Beijing is ready to connect South Asia over connectivity.   

Recently Maldives president visited China in January given the remarks how both states strengthen their bilateral relation under the BRI engaging in ‘blue economy and digital green economy’ as well as infrastructure and development. However, one of the recent examples of China Maldives friendship bridge very first cross sea bridge built by Beijing company. Additionally, not only bridge but also BRI project many other opportunities in Maldives such as social housing unit construction, thousand and millions of people have been move into housing meanwhile, their life gradually improved there. Nonetheless the Velana International airport is underway which increase the capacity of flights these projects working under the BRI.

To sum up the whole article under this factor that China is BRI project is the share economic vision for South Asian states because China foundation on friendship weather for all, however, China’s BRI project will give advantage in terms of infrastructure, development, and economy growth. But it also impacts on smaller states of South Asia because these states already facing economic issues on the other hand, China’s debt burden policy show more concern when Beijing tackle the Hambantota port of Sri Lanka. In this case, South Asian countries must protect their sovereignty and carefully assess the principle of their involvement avoid the policy of debt trap.

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Abdulaziz is a dedicated International Relations student at the University of Central Punjab, Pakistan. He has a passion for exploring global issues, particularly in the areas of conflict resolution, international security, and diplomacy.