Mega CPEC -a battle of economic supremacy on the horizon.

Interview with Sardar Shoukat Popalzai - President, Balochistan Economic Forum

Profile:

Sardar Shoukat Popalzai, President Balochistan Economic Forum, gained his degree in International Relations with major on diplomacy, economics and anti terrorism before spending nearly 24 years on professional career in the field of information service on International Diplomacy - Corporate Information and Media Monitoring. Over the years he has made presentations at numerous important conferences and corporate briefings. He is also recipient of awards from USA, Great Britain, France, the People's Republic of China and the Federal Republic of Germany.

PAKISTAN and GULF ECONOMIST had an exclusive conversation with Sardar Shoukat Popalzai about CPEC. Excerpts of the conversation are as follows:

CPEC - Regional integrator with greater opportunity provider for the underdeveloped provinces of Pakistan precisely Balochistan.

The Construction of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an overall cooperation framework set up by China and Pakistan with a focus on the long-term development of bilateral cooperation in various fields. China is willing to join hands with Pakistan to move forward the building of the Corridor in a balanced and comprehensive way, deepen the all-weather friendship and all-round cooperation between the two countries and forge a China-Pakistan community of common destiny.

The CPEC involves the construction of highways, railways and energy pipelines connecting western China with Pakistan and the Persian Gulf, thus, enable China to cut the time and distance. A new project will give Pakistan the tools of globalization.

The Sino-Pak economic corridor will strengthen economic links across the region. Nevertheless, the corridor will play a crucial role in advancing Pakistan's economic power, exporting, transiting, and transporting goods into and out of Central Asia and carrying them away on the current of the world's sea lanes.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has taken centre stage in Pakistan's economic landscape and is being described by nearly everyone as a game-changer. The country is becoming increasingly attractive for investors and economic partners, with everyone seeking a windfall from the changing dynamic.

With a population of around 1.4 billion, China has recently become the second largest economy in the world and is increasingly playing an important and influential role in shaping the global economy.

With its rapid economic...