Sustainable Development under Belt and Road Initiative: A Case Study of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor’s Socio-Economic Impact on Pakistan

Rashid Menhas, Shahid Mahmood, Papel Tanchangya, Muhammad Nabeel Safdar and Safdar Hussain
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Rashid Menhas: School of Physical Education and Social Sport Research Center, Soochow University China, Suzhou 215006, China 2 College of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China 3 School of Business, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Shahid Mahmood: College of Management, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
Papel Tanchangya: School of Business, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Muhammad Nabeel Safdar: School of Business, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
Safdar Hussain: Department of Economics, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi 463000, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 21, 1-24

Abstract: The restoration of the ancient Silk Road intends to reconnect China with Africa, the Middle East, and Europe through a railway network, airports, roads, seaports, and an optical fiber system. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has three components. One Belt, One Road (OBOR) is based upon two parts of the BRI; the maritime Silk Road and the Silk Road economic belt. OBOR is based upon six economic corridors. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is the smartest corridor under OBOR, which passes only through Pakistan, and after completion, will provide a safe and cheap route for China to import oil and energy. CPEC is a multidimensional project under which much infrastructure development initiative has been started to improve the infrastructure and economic development of Pakistan. Infrastructure development is an essential requirement in economic growth, one which further leads to industrialization and is helpful in economic development. The present study was conducted in Pakistan and explored how infrastructure development under the CPEC is useful for the sustainable development of Pakistan, as well as which kind of infrastructure development projects have been included in the CPEC to improve the socio-economic paradigm of Pakistan. A sample of 500 respondents was selected through a multistage sampling technique from the two-node cities. A questionnaire survey was used to collect primary data. The results of the study show that the CPEC is a catalyst for Pakistan to improve its socio-economic conditions and to achieve sustainable development. The participants of the survey agreed that CPEC will improve the socio-economic paradigm of Pakistan and will be helpful in the achievement of sustainable development goals.

Keywords: belt and road; economic corridor; China-Pakistan economic corridor; infrastructure development; socio-economic development; sustainable development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (25)

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