OBOR is the most important diplomatic ,development initiative in the 21st Century: Senator Mushahid

Date : 04-05-2017

Islamabad, May 3: China’s One Belt and One Road (OBOR )initiative is the most important diplomatic and development initiative in the 21st Century, said Senator Mushahid Hussain, Chairman Pakistan China Institute and CPEC Parliamentary Committee  expressed views while speaking at a seminar “One Belt One Road: Towards a Community of Shared Future” in Islamabad organized by Pakistan China Institute and Chinese embassy In Islamabad.

He said the Belt and Road initiative comes in the context of a major geo-political transition and change, adding that the balance of economic and political power is shifting from the West to the East with the 21st Century seen as the Asian Century;

We are witnessing the emergence of a Greater South Asia, more a geo-economic than a geo-political concept which now includes China, Iran, Afghanistan and the Central Asian republics apart from the South Asian region, Mushahid said.

He also said “We are seeing a transition of China from being a regional power to a major global power”.

OBOR presented by President Xi Jinping in 2013, presents an alternative global vision of cooperation and development post 9/11, he noted adding that OBOR will eventually link 100 countries of the world, who are 70% of the world population, 55% of the global GDP and 25% of global trade.  Already China’s economy and trade contributes 30% of global GDP and China today is the biggest driver of globalization.  $ 5 trillion will be spent on infrastructure in the next 5 years.

Mushahid said three words aptly describe OBOR: Inclusive, Connectivity, Cooperation: 

“Inclusive means not against anybody and includes every country. Connectivity means Europe and Asia by rail and road, and Asia and Africa through the sea.  The train from China to London within a fortnight is the example of that connectivity, And Cooperation means OBOR is a win-win situation for all.  There are no losers, all win, all benefit and all gain.

About CPEC, Mushahid said CPEC is the flagship of OBOR, the pilot project, the single biggest comprehensive project between any two countries in the history of international relations;

“If CPEC is the flagship of OBOR, Gwadar is the centre piece of CPEC and as Robert Kaplan wrote in the May 2009 issue of Atlantic magazine: “Gwadar has the potential to be the Rotterdam of the Arabian Sea and it is definitely a great place name for the future”, he added.

Mushahid further added that CPEC is today a factor of national unity, providing the path to progress and beneficial for all the provinces and regions of Pakistan, particularly the less developed regions and it is an expression of Pakistan’s best friend, China’s vote of confidence in the future of Pakistan and Pakistan’s pivotal role in the emerging regional scenario.

The ceremony was also attended by foreign diplomats, parliamentarians and officials from Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chinese Embassy officials, media and the public.