CPEC and the 21st century convergence of civilizations

[hussain123]

Andrew Korybko
The current century presents a plethora of strategic opportunities for Pakistan, provided that Islamabad knows how to pluck the low-hanging fruit and take the initiative. The steady development of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is making the country ever more attractive for a wide variety of international partners, some of which have traditionally been aligned with Pakistan, and others which are entirely new and unprecedented. No matter which of the two categories these states fall under, it’s evident that they’re all interested in taking advantage of this game-changing series of infrastructure projects.

Never before has China had a reliable overland trade corridor to the Indian Ocean, and this in turn opens up a wide range of options for the People’s Republic and its economic partners. Moreover, the eventual completion of CPEC will allow Russia and the landlocked states of Central Asia to more easily conduct commerce with the broader Indian Ocean Region, thereby leading to the creation of previously uncharted trade routes which will invigorate each set of partners and profit the irreplaceable transit state of Pakistan. In terms of the bigger picture, each crisscrossing network of economic connections in one way or another is expected to pass through Pakistan by means of CPEC, thereby empowering Islamabad to leverage its crucial geostrategic position in pursuit of its national interests.

The convergence of so many diverse civilizational actors – including Europeans, Russians, Turks, Arabs, Iranians, Chinese, and Africans – in one state is made possible by Beijing’s One Belt One Road vision of global connectivity as manifested through CPEC, and it accordingly allows for Pakistan to mediate over a dialogue of civilizations in the 21st century. This is a pivotal role of the utmost importance and highest responsibility, and it has the very real potential of transforming Pakistan from a regional leader to a hemispheric Great Power within the next decade. This analysis will thus explore the way in which this grand strategy can be actualized, sequentially describing the overall concept, the various civilizational-connectivity channels, and the challenges that Pakistan can expect to face.

Concept
Abstract:

The economic attractiveness of CPEC serves as an irresistible magnet for all sorts of various actors to utilize its infrastructural connectivity in facilitating their trade objectives, whether it’s enhancing bilateral trade with China such as the EU, Mideast, and African states may naturally be interested in, or in acquiring a convenient outlet to the Indian Ocean such as what Russia and the Central Asian republics desire. The convergence of so many civilizational forces in Pakistan will propel the South Asian state to worldwide importance by gifting its leaders with the impressive potential to serve as the common middle ground between each of them, both literally in terms of CPEC connectivity and figuratively as it relates to the broader dialogue of civilizations concept.

The latter objective is wholly dependent on the former, meaning that Pakistan is unlikely to bring together a wide array of hemispheric interests and actors if the CPEC project isn’t completed or is severely undermined after the fact. Conversely, the completion of CPEC will enable Pakistan to do just that, which thus propels the country’s significance to global heights. The second and largest part of this research will describe the different connectivity channels that CPEC opens up between Pakistan and the rest of Afro-Eurasia, but at this point a lot more needs to be said about the grand strategy behind this exciting endeavor.

http://katehon.com/article/cpec-and-21st-century-convergence-civilizations

Interesting essay.

 

[enkidu_]

Andrew Korybko is one of the best writers when it comes to Pakistan, and Katehon as a whole, through Dugin, promotes "Eurasia", which is a regional and integrative geopolitical chess game which could resolve all issues in the neighbourhood, mainly through economic integration, but only, as it's more widely cultural, like the old Silk road, which, for instance, permitted the rise of Buddhism in the world. Pakistan's role is indeed eminent, and Peter Frankopan's Silk roads details it (there's a reason why the US has always been behind the state).

Sadly our populace is unable to appreciate the Chinese gesture there ; not only that, you have paindoo "liberals" (who have no clue about liberalism in economy or politics, of course) telling us that China is the new East India Company. How much of a sell-out you can be.

This project for Pak will be epochal and trans-figurative.

 

[hussain123]

Andrew Korybko is one of the best writers when it comes to Pakistan, and Katehon as a whole, through Dugin, promotes "Eurasia", which is a regional and integrative geopolitical chess game which could resolve all issues in the neighbourhood, mainly through economic integration, but only, as it's more widely cultural, like the old Silk road, which, for instance, permitted the rise of Buddhism in the world. Pakistan's role is indeed eminent, and Peter Frankopan's Silk roads details it (there's a reason why the US has always been behind the state).

Sadly our populace is unable to appreciate the Chinese gesture there ; not only that, you have paindoo "liberals" (who have no clue about liberalism in economy or politics, of course) telling us that China is the new East India Company. How much of a sell-out you can be.

This project for Pak will be epochal and trans-figurative.

Interestingly the author is very critical of india's role vis a vis cpec if you go through thr whole essay.he even calls the current dispensation in india as led by "hindutva extremists" which is surprising coming from a known russain political analyst.