Research Political Geography Quarterly

The role of the China-Pakistan economic corridor from perspective of China's new position in the international system

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Mostafa ghaderi hajat 1
Mohammad Javad Ghahramani 2
Yazdani Khorasgani Ebrahim 3

1 Assistant professor in political geography, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Graduated from International Relations, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 MA, International Relations, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22067/pg.v4i4.86693
Abstract
The rise of China as a major power in the international system has led it to act relatively differently in its foreign policy than in the past. China's most important behavior can be expressed in the form of the Belt and Road initiative.  This initiative helped China to avoid Slowly avoid facing the United States in East Asia and also boosted Beijing's growth. The Belt and Road initiative includes a number of projects, mainly leading to a greater focus of Beijing on the country's western geographical areas. Pakistan, located on the shores of the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea, has a critical role in China's new foreign policies due to its geographical location. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, launched in 2015, clearly demonstrates the importance and position of Pakistan and the growing relationship between the two countries. This article seeks to examine the role of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor from the perspective of China's new position in the international system through analytical-explanatory methods and relying on library resources. The results show that the most important benefits of the corridor for China, which can advance China's foreign policy in the current context of the international system, can be expressed in terms of the role of the economic corridor as a clear symbol of cross-border presence. China stressed the need to play the role of a major world power, gain economic benefits and strengthen China's sphere of influence from geo-economics to geostrategic, help alleviate China's security concerns, and ultimately advance China's new economic model.

Keywords

China
Pakistan
economic corridor
great power
foreign policy
  1. Asgarkhani, A., Ghahramnai, M.J.,Ghaderi Hajat, M.(2019). Geo-economic Analysis of China’s Foreign Policy. Geopolitics Quarterly,14(4),209-233.(In Persian). http://journal.iag.ir/article_82989_719cc3c928e127589fab5cf80e457a4e.pdf
  2. Chaziza, M. (2016). China–Pakistan Relationship: A Game-changer for the Middle East?. May 27, 2016.Contemporary Review of the Middle East. http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/2347798916638209?journalCode=cmea
  3. Haider, Z. (2005). Baluchis, Beijing, and Pakistan's Gwadar Port. Georgetown Journal of International Affairs. (Winter/Spring Version), 95-103.
  4. Hussain, Z. (2017). The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the New Regional Geopolitics. IFRI.June2017.
  1. Copeland, D.C.(2012). Realism and Neorealism in the Study of Regional Conflict. (49-74). In Paul, T.V. (2012). International Relations Theory and Regional Transformation.New York: Cambridge University Press.
  2. Detsch, J.(2015). China’s Grand Plan for Pakistan’s Infrastructure. The Diplomat. Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2015/04/chinas-grand-plan-for-pakistans-infrastructure/
  3. Gilpin, R.(1981). War and Change in International Politics. Cambridge: Cambridge. University Press.
  1. Hussain, F. & Hussain, M. (2017). China- Pakistan Economic Corridor and Its Geopolitical Paradigms. IJSSHE. 1(2).
  2. Idrees, Q.Q., Shapiee, R. & Ahamat, H. (2018). Energy Cost Saving and Economic Prospective of China Pakistan Economic Corridor. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy. 8(6), 217-226.
  3. Ikenberry, G.J., mastanduno, M., Wohlforth, W. (2009). Introduction:  Unipolarity, State behavior, and systemic Consequences. World Politics, 61(1), 1-27.
  4. Jervis, R. (2006). The Remaking of a Unipolar World. The Washington Quarterly,29(3), 7-19.
  5. Jin, K.(2014). China’s Two-Front Diplomacy; Go West and Leap East.The Diplomat, Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2014/09/chinas-two-front-diplomacy-go-west-and-leap-east/
  6. Krauthammer, C. (2002/03). The Unipolar Moment Revisited.. The national Interest. 5-17.
  7. Le, Hong H. (2013). Vietnam's Hedging Strategy against China since Normalization.Contemporary Southeast Asia, 35(3),333-368.
  8. Lu, Sh. (2015). China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: A Flagship and Exemplary Project of “One Belt and One Road. Strategic studies, 34(5), 165-173.
    Mastanduno, M. (1997). Preserving the Unipolar Moment: Realist Theories and U.S. Grand Strategy after the Cold War. International Security, 21(4),49-88.
  9. McDevitt, M. (2018). Great Power Competition in the Indian Ocean: The Past as Prologue?. CAN Analysis and Solutions, Occasional Paper Series.
  10. Morrison,W.M.( 2017). China's Economic Rise: History, Theory, Trends, Challenges, and Implications for the United States. Congressional Research Service. RL33534
  11. Naseem, N. (2014). Geopolitical Value of Gwader for the Region (Mainly for
    Pakistan, China and the Region). A Research Journal of South Asian Studies, 29(2), 519-530.
  12. Pande, S. (2015). Sino-Pak Strategic Relationship: Implications for India. Scholar Warrior. Aurumn2015
  13. Parviz, A. & Bawa, S. (2017). Sino-Pakistan Relationship, Changing South Asian Geopolitics and India's Post Obama Options. South Asia Research. 37 (2): 133-146.
  14. Rachman, G. (2018). Easternization: Asia’s Rise and America’s Decline from Obama to Trump and Beyond.US:Other Press.
  15. Rifaat, H. & Miani, T.S. (2016). The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor; Strategic Rationales, External Perspectives, and Challenges to Effective Implementation. Stimson Center.
  16. Shivaji, K. (2016). "How Obama Revived U.S.-Indian Relations". National interest. Available at:http://nationalinterest.org/feature/how-obama-revived-us-indian-relations-16473?page=show
  17. Siddiqui, H. (2019). India’s Concept of Indo-Pacific is Inclusive and Across Oceans. Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. Available at: https://mea.gov.in/articles-in-indian-media.htm?dtl/32015/Indias_concept_of_IndoPacific_is_inclusive_and_across_oceans
  18. Small, A. (2015). The China-Pakistan Axis: Asia's New Geopolitics. Oxford University Press.2015.
  19. Su, P. & Kao, Y. (2015). Intensive Talks between Chinese and Pakistani Business Communities. BBC China, 2015-04-19. http://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/world/2015/04/150419_china_pakistan_deals
  20. Sun, W. (2016). Interview: The Progress of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Goes Well. Xinhua News, 2016-06-24. http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2016-06/24/c_1119108622.htm
  21. Syed M.H., Hamza A., Fatima A. & Suniya R. (2020). Economic Assessment of CPEC: The Case of a Power Project. (41-74). In Syed, Jawad & Yung-H.Y.(2020). China’s Belt and Road Initiative in a Global Context. Volume II: The China Pakistan Economic Corridor and its Implications for Business. Palgrave Macmillan Asian Business Series
  22. Tessman, B.F. (2012). System Structure and State Strategy: Adding Hedging to the Menu. Security Studies. 21 (2), 192–231.
  23. The Economist (2017) “Massive Chinese investment is a boon for Pakistan,” available at: https://www.economist.com/news/asia/21728619-china-pakistan-economic-corridor-project-carries-risks-massive-chinese-investment-boon
  24. V.Pant, H. (2012). The Pakistan Thorn in China-India-U.S. Relations. The Washington Quarterly. 35:1, 83-95
  25. ­ Walt, S.M. (2009). Alliances in a Unipolar World. World Politics, 61(1), 86-120.
  26. Waltz, K. (1979). Theory of International Politics. Reading, Mass: Addison-Wesley
  27. Waltz, K.N.(1993). The Emerging Structure of international Politics. International Security, 18(2), 44-79.
  28. Wolf, S. (2018). The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor of the Belt and Road Initiative.Springer Nature Switzerland.
  29. Yun, S. (2013). March West: China’s Response to the U.S Rebalancing. Brookings.edu. is available in:https://www.brookings.edu/.../march-west-chinas-response-to-the-u-s-rebalancing

Send comment about this article
Enter Name.
Enter a valid email address.
Enter a vaid affiliation.
Enter comments (At leaset 10 words)
CAPTCHA Image
Enter Security Code Correctly.

Home

Guide for Authors

Submit Manuscript

Contact Us