Eurasia Diary presents an article titled "CPEC & BRI: BEACON OF HOPE AND BEASTS OF HUMANITY" published in Pakistan Observer

Article was written by Dr Mehmood Ul Hasan Khan, expert on geopolitical and regional studies.

In the era of imperalistic globalization and so-called modern dollar democracy, the doctrine  of hybrid war has now replaced notions of Cold War in the world.

The forces of resistance, resolution, restructuring and refinement, i.e. China and its allies, have been directly or indirectly confronting with Western onslaught.

The tug of war between supporters of Asian Century and proponents of capitalism colonization have been battling out for dominance. Thus mega projects of the 21st century BRI and CPEC have been in the line of fire.

However, Chinese leadership has been following ancient philosophy of services to humanity through Xi’s shared properity and Global Development Initiative and trying to reach out and rescue the suffering humanity from poverty, unemployment, disease, discrimination and, above all, economic exploitation around the world.

Sudden increase in terrorist attacks against Chinese teachers, engineers, technicians and workers in various projects of the CPEC in Pakistan cleraly indicates that schemers of darkness and destruction do not want immense socio-economic prosperity and greater regional connectivity of CPEC with Afghanistan and afterwards with Central Asian Region (CAR).

High velocity of Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) terrorist activities and activation of the TTP has sparked elements of displeasure and dissatisfaction among main stakeholders of both the countries.

However, political leadership personal intervention  and consultation assured bulletproof security arrangements for all the Chinese working in the country proved a face-saving.

The negative role of BBC and VOA about this terrorist operator (highly qualified Baloch woman) have also started a hot debate in the country.

Both global media outlets also operating in Pakistan categorically correlated so-called poor socio-economic conditions, Chinese economic exploitation, unpleasant role of the state apparatus, political marginalization and social stigmas against Balochistan and its people for this tragic incident.

The mastery of their spine doctrine methods blamed CPEC and its ongoing projects for these terrorist attacks which have ultimatelly maligned Pak-China iron clad friendship.

All the so-called investigative journalism, facts finding mission and magic box of their false and fake propaganda have no credibility and accuracy. Their planted interviews with the deceased family (Sheri Bano, woman terrorist) were intentionally titled and fabricated towards the State and China.

To counter their media onslaught, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Planning, Ashan Iqbal, paid personal visits to Balochistan and met with all the stakeholders and tried to ratify security lapses.

Moreover, Western media, especially CNN, BBC, Fox TV and AL-Jazeera international TV channels have been illustrating the political bedlam and economic meltdown of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Keyena and many other African countries as the ultimate result of so-called Debt Trap of Chinese BRI.

Unfortunately the land of Prophet Adam and tropical heaven of Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka has become an easy victim to forces of imperialism and hegemony.

Now Sri Lanka vividly reflects invisibility of the hybrid war of 5th generation in which some regional schemers and some world movers & shakers have been physically instigating its common people and youth alike to stand against the incumbent government and its economic supporter China.

The rest is now a bitter reality. The economic charisma of BRI has been crusaded by forces of imperialism through the help of hybrid war.

Nevertheless, China said that it firmly supported Sri Lanka in defending its national sovereignty and offered to upgrade the Belt and Road projects as the two countries celebrated the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties.

Another strategically important country of Southeast Asia – Maldives – had the same replications because of its growing socio-economic ties and cooperation with China.

The Western media outlets propagated fairy tales instead of actual facts and thus disseminated false and fake news items against China and its projects. Political instability was sponsored and social unrest was intrigued and ultimately the national economy had to face difficult times.

Thus the same patterns of delusion, disinformation and dissatisfaction were followed and circulated among the people against the incumbent government and, of course, China in which India, the UK and US played a nauseating role.

Now let us talk about the Chinese BRI role and engagement in the African continent. Critical analysis reveals that China has re-shaped sub-Saharan Africa through befitting trade, investment and strategic diplomacy.

It has now developed strong economic ties with Africa’s largest economies and Chinese firms dominate infrastructure construction projects.

Accoridng to the latest official data (January 2022) nearly one-third of infrastructure projects in Africa were built by Chinese companies. In addition, China is, in many areas, replacing the United States and Europe as trade partners with Africa.

As usual, some Western so-called political commentators and pseudo intellectuals have observed China’s growing economic footprint in Africa, especially its BRI with skepticism and concern.

They argue that Chinese investment is a debt trap  that will eventually lead to neo-colonialism. They feared that the so-called Chinese debt trap is likely to surface even in Nigeria, Kenya or Ethiopia. But despite this criticism, China’s influence on the continent continues to rise.

It seems that critical infrastructure is key to Africa’s economic development and in the absence of loans or assistance from European or US governments, countries like Kenya have adopted a “Look East” policy.

Kenya has deliberately favored China rather than traditional American and European trade partners.

The Export-Import Bank of China provided two subsidized loans for the SGR railway. China offered these loans far below market value.

Both parties agreed to a five-year grace period (from 2015 to 2020). After this, Kenya would repay the loan in increments over fifteen years. Thus there is no chance of a so-called economic meltdown in Keyena because of the Chinese BRI.

To counter the Chinese BRI, the European Union has announced its own BRI Global Gateway to help Africa and other developing countries.

Moreover, the G-7 led by the US has also announced the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative to counter the Chinese BRI economic influence around the world.

Thus economic war is now spreading like a jungle fire which has already burnt the souls of common people living around the globe.

Deliberately, the BBC, VOA and CNN have not been projecting the economic cost of the US and EU subsidized new war project in the Black Sea in the shape of Russia and Ukraine conflict.

It has devastating socio-economic, geopolitical and geostrategic consequences. It has disturbed international food & energy markets. It has caused serious dents in global stocks and commodity exchanges. Foreign exchanges are tumbling and teetering.

Energy markets are behaving like a dead man walking and world economic prospects and outlook has been compromised because of the US and the EU obsession of NATO eastern encroachment.

The expected inclusion of Finland and Sweden in NATO have serious spillover ramifications for even Turkey and Russia in the days to come.

Egypt, Tunisia, Lebanon, Jordan, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Oman and many African countries and eastern European countries are facing the hardest economic recession and stagflation.

Thus it is not a wise thing to blame mere China’s BRI for this unprecedented economic meltdown.

The Chinese announcement to include Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkey and Malaysia in the BRICS would be a counter strategy to stimulate regional as well as world economy in the days to come.

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