Exploring the Determinants of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and Its Impact on Local Communities

Abstract

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a major development project in China’s fast-evolving Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is arguably the most comprehensive of the six BRI economic and infrastructure corridors on land. For Pakistan, it is perceived “as the harbinger of a new era of connectivity and integration” that will not only transform the region’s economic development but also the well-being of Pakistanis. It investigates the impact of CPEC as perceived by the local communities in its ZoI. It also evaluates CPEC’s potential challenges: public support and local communities’ concerns such as their awareness, acceptance, and ownership of CPEC. To accomplish our research objectives, we analyze original microdata from 1,585 respondents living proximate to propose CPEC route(s) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Pakistan. After aggregating the data on the basis of age, education, income, and social status, we conduct descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses in an attempt to answer three research questions. We find significantly high level of awareness of CPEC across the board in the older age group of respondents (i.e., 40 years or older), hereinafter referred to as mature, highly educated, that is, respondents with university education. Older respondents expect more environmental and economic benefits than younger respondents, even as the latter expect lower social change and effect on migration than do the former. However, those in the upper social class expect higher economic and political benefits from CPEC, compared with those in the lower social class—an early indication of possible elite capture.

Factors Associated with Community Awareness on COVID-19 in a Developing Country: Implications for Optimal Risk Communication

“…Prompt and proactive responses are hence extremely crucial in the development of strategies and policies for the next stages. 28 Previous COVID-19 studies published by Vietnamese authors mainly discussed outcomes derived from summary, review, and reassessment of COVID-19 response policies and strategies and served merely as commentaries without specific evidence. 29–32 This study aims to analyze residents’ awareness of COVID-19 including local epidemic situations, disease transmission, and preventive behavioral practices.…”

Evaluating megaprojects from a sustainability perspective: a case of China-Pakistan economic corridor (CPEC)

“…Existing literature has documented various positive impacts related to the development of CPEC. The CPEC projects are expected to enhance the socio-economic condition (reduce unemployment and enhance economic growth) of the country (Akhtar et al , 2021). The CPEC could also emerge as an environmental corridor to lead the development of regional renewable-energy trade, and associate Pakistan with China’s countrywide carbon market, which is already the globally biggest, thus making a regional market (Sheikh, 2016).…”

“…This paper aims to understand the stakeholders’ perceptions of the impact of CPEC on the sustainable development of Pakistan. The positive and negative impacts of CPEC as perceived by various stakeholders may affect the stakeholder involvement and support for such investments (Akhtar et al , 2021). Therefore, the findings of this paper have the potential to inform policymakers who must be cognizant of stakeholders’ perceptions regarding the impacts of megaprojects on sustainable development.…”

Analyzing the determinants of sustainability of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects: an interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach

“…The CPEC and its constituent mega projects are expected to create several million jobs with a potential to upgrade living standards of almost 1.1 million people because of its contribution to cross country communication, infrastructure and economic activities (Dawn, 2020 ; Akhtar, et al 2021 ). As asserted by Akhtar et al ( 2021 ), CPEC is vital to change the destiny of Pakistan and its citizens as Pakistan does not has sustainable projects/investments to get rid of poverty without CPEC.…”

“…The CPEC and its constituent mega projects are expected to create several million jobs with a potential to upgrade living standards of almost 1.1 million people because of its contribution to cross country communication, infrastructure and economic activities (Dawn, 2020 ; Akhtar, et al 2021 ). As asserted by Akhtar et al ( 2021 ), CPEC is vital to change the destiny of Pakistan and its citizens as Pakistan does not has sustainable projects/investments to get rid of poverty without CPEC. An avalanche of studies is surging on phenomenon of CPEC that relates to both international and national perspective of strategic partners, e.g.,:Khalil, et al ( 2021 ); Mukhtar, et al ( 2021 ); Hussain et al ( 2021b ); Shaikh and Chen ( 2021 ); Akhtar et al ( 2021 ); Fu et al 2021 ; Hamid and Khan ( 2020 ).…”