Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday signalled his country’s openness for a dialogue with India, and offered to accommodate “all countries” in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) — a part of the Beijing-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
“Let me make it very clear that the China Pakistan Economic Corridor is an economic undertaking open to all countries. It has no geographical boundaries,” Mr. Sharif said while speaking at the high-profile Belt and Road Forum (BRF) that opened in the Chinese capital on Sunday.
In an obvious reference to India, he added, “We are also trying to (establish), a peaceful, connected and caring neighbourhood, it is time we transcend our differences, resolve conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy and leave a legacy of peace for future generations.”
Mr. Sharif’s veiled offer for renewed engagement follows New Delhi’s decision to skip the BRF, mainly to protest CPEC’s infringement of India’s sovereignty, as it passed through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). However, other countries such as Japan and Vietnam, which have serious maritime disputes with China, have sent high-level official delegations, to the conclave. The United States has also made a U-turn, by dispatching a delegation, led by White House adviser Matt Pottinger. Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara are the other South Asian leaders who are attending the BRF.
Overriding India’s strong opposition to projects in areas of contested sovereignty in Kashmir, China and Pakistan on Saturday reportedly signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) entailing a mega-investment of up to 50 billion dollars in power projects along the Indus River Cascade (IRC), which runs through the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan area.
The Pakistan Today newspaper is reporting that on Saturday, Mr. Sharif witnessed the signing by Pakistan’s Water and Power Secretary and Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Sun Weidong, of a MoU to develop Pakistan’s five big water reservoirs, along the IRC.
The IRC, which has a potential to generate 40,000 MW of power, begins at Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan and runs through Khyber Pakhtunwa.
Under the MoU, around 22,320 MW of power would be generated by the five projects, producing electricity, ranging from 7,100 MW to 2,400 MW.
The fresh injection of $50 billion for IRC will supplement the already committed projects worth $ 57 billion under the CPEC.
During his address, Mr. Sharif stressed that hard economic interests must override narrow geopolitical agendas that miss the big picture. He pointed out that the One Belt One Road (OBOR), the other name of BRI “signifies that geo-economics must take precedence over geopolitics.” He highlighted that “the centre of gravity must shift from conflict to cooperation.” “We stand at the cusp of a geo-economic revolution. In fact, this is the dawn of a truly new era, of synergetic intercontinental cooperation,” he observed.
In a bid to allay India’s concerns over sovereignty, Chinese foreign ministry on Tuesday had reiterated that its position on the Kashmir issue remained unchanged despite its “promotion” of CPEC as an economic undertaking.
“With regard to the CPEC, China has been stressing that it is an economic programme. China’s promotion of the relevant programme does not mean that we have changed our position on the relevant issue. These are two different things,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang had said.
More specifically, China's Ambassador Luo Zhaohui earlier this month rebutted the assumption that the CPEC infringed India’s sovereignty, as it passed through the PoK. “The CPEC is for promoting economic cooperation and connectivity. It has no connections to or impact on sovereignty issues,” he had said.
He also highlighted the Simla accord as the basis for resolving the Kashmir issue. “Take Kashmir issue for example, we supported the relevant U.N. resolutions before 1990s. Then we supported a settlement through bilateral negotiation in line with the Simla Agreement.”
Following the BRF, Mr. Sharif is heading for Hong Kong, to participate in the One Belt, One Road Pakistan Investment Forum.
