Practice, Dilemmas and Prospects of China-Pakistan Joint Construction of the Belt and Road

Abstract

75 years of acquaintance and companionship, China and Pakistan always stand by each other and forge ahead in the same boat. It is precisely through long-term mutual support that the two countries have nurtured profound traditional friendship and formed an all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Against the backdrop of complex regional geopolitical changes and the call for high-quality upgrading of China-Pakistan Cooperation under the BRI, existing research on China-Pakistan cooperation lacks systematic analysis of multi-dimensional supporting pathways for the upgrading. Especially, prior studies have an insufficient discussion on the benefit-sharing and distribution mechanism, collaborative public opinion governance system, digital empowerment support system and diversified layout. This paper thus raises its core research question, namely what targeted systematic pathways can comprehensively boost the upgraded development of CPEC and build a closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future for the new era?

This research adopts a combined methodology of policy-text analysis and typical case study. It systematically reviews bilateral joint statements, Chinese aid policies and official CPEC planning documents. Taking policy, infrastructure, people-to-people connectivity as core research cases, it summarizes the pragmatic achievements. It further identifies development bottlenecks stemming from domestic divergent interests and artificial barriers erected by external powers that hinder bilateral cooperation.

For decades, China has extended diverse assistance to Pakistan based on the principles of equality and mutual benefit, pragmatic outcomes, respect for Pakistan's domestic demands and no political strings attached. Meanwhile, China has consistently delivered on the consensus reached between the heads of state of the two sides, advancing pragmatic cooperation across infrastructure, energy, trade and commerce, people's livelihoods and other sectors. These efforts have driven all-round and in-depth development of the China-Pakistan all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. Looking ahead, China and Pakistan will foster an upgraded version of the CPEC, build an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future for the new era, and sustain the sound model of win-win bilateral cooperation.