Ambitious China and Economically Fractured Pakistan: An Analysis of Chinese Economic Expansion in the region under CPEC and its Implications for Pakistan’s Foreign Policy

Abstract

One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative” or Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are termed the most ambitious project of the 21^st century. The multi-billion dollar investment plan is supposed to connect China to at least three continents i.e., Asia, Europe, and Africa through roads, seas, and railway lines. The lead project of OBOR is CPEC i.e. China Pakistan Economic Corridor. CPEC is already in its third phase of development and offers not only optimistic promises to Pakistan’s economic and political stability but the entire region. Existing literature on CPEC is more focused on the earlier optimistic promises that the projects offer, and there is a gap that needs to be filled regarding the implications of CPEC projects on Pakistan’s Foreign Policy. While there is a consensus on Foreign Policy decision-making to be one of the fundamental instruments for any state to pursue its national interests abroad, any implication imposed upon it through heavy Foreign Direct Investment will bear the consequences. The main objective of this paper is to analyse that weather China’s multibillion-dollar investment in China Pakistan Economic Corridor has any implications for Pakistan’s foreign policy. Through qualitative data analysis this study suggests that although huge Chinese investment may guarantee economic stability, Pakistan still needs to keep an eye on its foreign policy decision-making power which is at stake because of huge Chinese investment under China Pakistan Economic Corridor.