BRI a road map to global prosperity.

Byline: Malik Muhammad Ashraf

Prime Minister's visit to China to attend Second Belt and Road Forum has been quite successful from the perspective of signing of free trade agreement between the two countries according to which China has agreed to extend same preferential treatment to Pakistani imports as it has given to the ASEAN Countries. It will not only reduce the imbalance in bilateral trade between the two countries but would also enhance badly needed export potential of Pakistan. The two countries were also able to formally sign MOU for ML-1 project for building double railway track from Peshawar to Karachi. The visit also provided an opportunity for interaction between Prime minister Imran Khan and the top Chinese leadership in which both sides expressed their unflinching resolve to consolidate the gains of cooperation between them under CPEC and also exploring new vistas of cooperation.

While addressing the forum the Prime Minister was right on money when he said 'In a world of geopolitical uncertainty, of rising inequality and barriers to trade, the BRI offers a model of collaboration, partnership, connectivity and shared prosperity.?The phenomenal rise of China as world's world second biggest economy has also made it a major player on the global economic and political stage. There is almost a consensus around the world among diplomats, academicians and economists that BRI offers the world an alternative model of economic development.

The signing on to the BRI Vision by 122 States and 49 International Organizations is an indubitable acknowledgement of that reality. The Chinese model of Development premised on partnership and shared economic prosperity also has cultural and political dimensions which can immensely contribute to promoting world peace and harmony.

Pakistan is the major partner and beneficiary of CPEC, a flagship project of BRI and as rightly pointed out by Prime Minister Imran Khan its benefits have already started having their impact on Pakistan's economy through increased supply of energy and development of infrastructure which has enabled the two countries to shift greater focus on socio-economic uplift, poverty alleviation, agricultural cooperation and industrial development emulating the Chinese model of poverty alleviation. He was right on mark to assert that this cooperation and collaboration for transformational change was characterized by deep-rooted friendship, partnership and brotherhood with China which...