| Since the advent of 21st century,China’s economic power has grown in an unprecedented manner and so too has its ability to shape its foreign relations with other nations and countries.Due to its impressive economic rise,economic statecraft has become an essential element of China’s foreign policy.Using its new acquired economic power,China has been working diligently to foster friendly relations and close cooperation with different countries of Asia,Europe,Africa and South America.China has been using its financial capital to promote and advance its foreign relations in strategically important regions by investing in infrastructure development,advancing trading relationships,providing overseas aid,and using its leverage in international monetary and/or trade regimes as a means and/or instruments of foreign policy.Within this context,China’s evolving relationship with Pakistan is perhaps one of the most striking examples of this strategy.The relationship between China and Pakistan is a unique and long-standing friendship which has run closer than many formal alliances.Underpinned by the geography and regional security concerns,the relationship,during the past six decades,has evolved into an“all-weather friendship”.It is special relationship in which both China and Pakistan have successfully managed to strengthen and expand their ties in various fields including political,military and cultural spheres.Over the course of time,great changes have occurred in both countries,in the region,and also in the international arena,but the relationship between the two countries has largely remained unaffected.Many international relations analysts,who have studied and examined the Sino-Pakistani relations,they acknowledge and recognize the durability,sustainability and special nature of this relationship.Traditionally,relations between China and Pakistan have largely been shaped by military and security cooperation.However,since the early 2000s,China’s economic cooperation with Pakistan has been acquiring new meanings and expressions.China’s ever-expanding investment in Pakistan’s infrastructure,energy,industry and communications sectors is bringing both“iron-brothers”closer than ever before.China’s large-scale investment in infrastructure development and trade corridors marks the beginning of a positive shift in China-Pakistan relations,“an all-weather strategic partnership”in which the economic dimensions have assumed a central role.Many existing studies have examined the China-Pakistan relations under the geopolitical lens,which describe China’s decision to invest in Pakistan’s infrastructure sector primarily as a Chinese geopolitical gambit to keep check on India’s rise and thwart New Delhi’s ability to challenge China in Asia and beyond.Another argument claims that the US engagement with India and other countries of Asia-Pacific to contain and/or keep a check on China’s rise are the key reasons which have brought China and Pakistan’s interests into alignment.Hence,just as the US has pivoted towards Asia-Pacific,China has been pivoting towards South Asia,–a policy move that is primarily driven by its strategic vision to contain India,the US predominance in the region,and draw South Asia into China’s economic and political orbit.However,highlighting the geopolitical and/or strategic dimensions as if they are the only factors guiding the China-Pakistan partnership,clearly undermine the significance of the other equally important factors.It overlooks other equally important factors playing key role in providing impetus to China’s economic ties with Pakistan.This thesis aims to fill this particular gap in the existing literature by focusing on why and how different factors（domestic,regional and global）are influencing the growing economic cooperation between China and Pakistan.The time frame chosen for the analysis is from 2006 to 2018.The period between 2006-2018has witnessed major events and changes at domestic level in both China and Pakistan and also seen major events and happenings at regional as well as at global level including the US announcement of“pivot to Asia”policy,partial withdrawal of International Security Assistance Force（ISAF）and some of the US forces from Afghanistan,China-India economic détente,president Xi Jinping’s ascent to power in China 2013,the launching of China’s BRI in 2013,the advent of CPEC in 2015,and inclusion of Pakistan and India in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization（SCO）in2017.Because of all these significantly consequential events,this time period is substantially important for analyzing the changing facets of China’s partnership with Pakistan.This thesis argues that China’s economic cooperation with Pakistan is driven by multiple factors.First,it is driven by China’s policy to enhance the socioeconomic stability of Pakistan so as to strengthen Islamabad’s ability to fight against the three evils of terrorism,separatism,and extremism;second,economic integration of China’s western provinces with the wider South Asia region to promote the domestic economic growth;third,securing China’s economic and security interests in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region;and fourth,to create a conducive regional environment for the execution and implementation of BRI.China’s policy-making circles believe that a socio-politically stable and economically thriving Pakistan would be more able to combat the social,religious,and ethnically motivated anti-state elements which eventually will enhance China’s own security,stability,and economic growth and development.China’s policy to expand economic cooperation with Pakistan also comes in conjunction with the launching of BRI,CPEC,and the“New Security Concept（NSC）”,under which,grand expansion of trade,investment and infrastructure development goes hand in hand with a desire to achieve common security and regional stability through win-win cooperation.Through enhanced economic cooperation with Pakistan,especially through enhanced investment and trade,China wants to create a secure and stable regional environment in the Afghanistan-Pakistan（Af-Pak）region and also in the wider South Asian region so that the BRI and CPEC can be implemented smoothly.China’s economic cooperation with Pakistan is also driven by Beijing’s aspiration to achieve regional connectivity with South Asia and possibly with the Middle East so as to find new markets for boosting Beijing’s slacking economic growth and development.Successful economic partnership with Pakistan,will also enhance China’s profile as a promoter of win-win cooperation and a responsible stakeholder in the regional affairs of South Asia which is ready to take on important responsibilities and make greater contributions to the regional economic growth and security.This thesis is based on qualitative research design.The case study and“process tracing”methods are employed for the purpose of analysis.This thesis adopts analytical-explanatory and analytical-exploratory approach.At first;this research traces the relationship between certain historical policies and conditions that are translated into outcomes and present cooperation on economic and strategic fronts between China and Pakistan.This thesis than proceeds to evaluate China-Pakistan relations and understand the nature of China’s engagement with Pakistan over the last six decades.Next,this research enters into explanatory stage by taking into account different factors that drive Beijing’s overall foreign policy towards Pakistan.Final sections of this thesis examine and analyze key factors that drive China’s policy for strengthening economic cooperation with Pakistan and proceed exploratory stage to answer the main research question.Data sources include both primary and secondary sources.Primary sources include the official statements of top-level Chinese and Pakistani leadership.Primary sources also include official policy papers issued by Chinese and Pakistani government.Secondary data sources include books,peer-reviewed research articles,newspaper reports,magazines,and academic research studies.The significance of this research stems from the point that an in-depth analysis of China’s motivations for increasing economic cooperation with Pakistan provides basis for understanding Beijing’s overall foreign policy towards South Asia and particularly towards Afghanistan-Pakistan region.Understanding China’s motivations for expanding its economic ties with Pakistan has a great significance for other important regional and global actors particularly India and the US.Hence,the significance of this research stems from its approach that it is not merely an extraction of facts but it also provides a more comprehensive and nuanced grasp of China’s interests,goals and policies towards Pakistan and correspondingly towards South Asia that can help to understand whether China wants to remain within the already established international norms and institutes or it wants to reshape and/or create an alternative system centered toward Beijing’s interests and preferences.Without understanding China’s interests and motivations,projecting an all-menacing view of China can be misleading and/or counterproductive which can lead the regional or global powers like India or the US to become engaged in strategic competition against China that will eventually worsen tensions in South Asia and beyond.The key theoretical contribution of this thesis is to move beyond the single-factor theoretical paradigm while examining China-Pakistan relations.This thesis employs“analytical eclecticism”as an analytical framework which combines a range of theoretical approaches,realism,liberalism and constructivism to examine and analyze the varying nature of China-Pakistan relations.One single theoretical approach alone would be inadequate for a comprehensive analysis of China’s policy.Therefore,it is imperative to adopt an appropriate analytical framework that could help to examine and explicate all the factors that shape and influence China’s policy towards Pakistan.Given this,analytical eclecticism seems to hold true for providing the theoretical foundations of this thesis.This thesis consists of five chapters.The first chapter provides the introduction of the topic.It provides a brief overview or background of the study which is followed by the research questions and the main argument of this this thesis.The next section provides brief literature review related to the subject of this thesis.It highlights that the existing literature predominantly focuses on explaining the political and military-strategic dimensions of China-Pakistan relations and highlights that economic dimensions of their relationship have still been underexplored in the relevant academic scholarship.The next section discusses and explains about the research methodology and date sources being utilized in this thesis.The final section casts light on the significance and academic contributions which this thesis intends to make.The second chapter provides the theoretical framework of this thesis.This chapter has been divided into three section.The first section provides insights into the analytical eclecticism.It explains the basic concept of analytical eclecticism and highlights the advantages of employing an eclectic approach as a framework of analysis.It also explains why applying eclectic approach is important for international relations research and how it is applicable to this thesis.The second section discusses three mainstream international relations theories.It highlights the utility of each theoretical perspective for explaining China’s policy towards Pakistan.It also explains the shortcomings of each theoretical perspective in explaining a state’s foreign policy choices.The third section talks about the application of analytical eclecticism in this research.It highlights the key rationale for adopting the eclectic approach as theoretical framework in this thesis.The conclusion sums up the discussion by giving final remarks about this chapter.The third chapter discusses about the evolution of China-Pakistan relations.This chapter has been divided into six sections:first,the formative phase（1950-1962）;the second,consolidation and deepening of relations or the“entente cordiale 1.0”marked by the deepening and strengthening of bilateral ties（1963-1977）;third section,characterized by reforms,and change in China’s foreign policy towards Pakistan（1978-1989）;fourth section marked by caution amidst continuity in China’s policy towards Pakistan in the post-Cold War era（1990-2001）;and fifth section,China’s renewed interest in Pakistan in the post-9/11 era（2001-2006）.The fourth chapter examines the transition in China-Pakistan relations from traditional geostrategic partnership dominated by defense/security cooperation and foreign policy alignment to emerging economic partnership which is symbolized by the development of Gwadar port,and the CPEC–China’s largest ever investment in Pakistan’s energy,industry,and transport infrastructure sectors.The first section of this chapter begins with the brief prologue of China’s investment and economic cooperation with Pakistan in the post-9/11 era.It provides information about various agreements and contracts signed between China and Pakistan during the first decade of 21st century and cast a light on the different factors that led to the signing of the agreements.The second section discusses about China’s investment in the expansion and upgrading of the Karakoram Highway（KKH）.It highlights vitality of the KKH for both China and Pakistan and offers a comprehensive insight into China’s investment for various KKH projects.The third section of this chapter offer details about China’s investments in Pakistan’s Gwadar port project.It also discusses about the political,economic and strategic importance of Gwadar port for both China and Pakistan.The fourth section discusses about the CPEC,which is the largest ever foreign investment in Pakistan by a foreign country.It provides details about the various projects of the CPEC and highlights their importance for both China and Pakistan.The fifth chapter analyzes China’s interests and motivations for expanding its economic partnership with Pakistan.The first section analyzes China’s economic interests and motivations for expanding its partnership with Pakistan.It offers detailed analysis of various factors which played key role in China’s decision to improve economic ties with Pakistan.It highlights that China’s strategy towards Pakistan is shaped by several factors.First,China’s decision to invest in Pakistan’s infrastructure development is simply a continuation of Beijing’s strategy to enhance the domestic economic development of China’s western provinces through sub-regional economic integration with South Asia and Middle East through Pakistan.Second,which is also related to the first,Pakistan,due to its massive potential for economic growth and emerging market prospects,has been identified by China not only as a partner for infrastructure development“but also as a market for Chinese products”and thus an important means to fulfill President Xi’s signature foreign policy moves the BRI and the“China Dream”.Third,Pakistan’s unique geolocation allows China a potential alternative route for its energy supplies.The development of CPEC’s overland and maritime transportation route might allow China to bypass the Malacca Straits by linking the Chinese city of Kashgar to the Arabian Sea through Gwadar port in Pakistan.The second section discusses the geopolitical,security and strategic motivations behind China-Pakistan economic partnership.It explains how Pakistan occupies an important place in China’s policy to eradicate the non-traditional security threats emanating from the Af-Pak region.It explicates that eradication of three forces of“terrorism,separatism,and extremism”lays at the heart of China’s decision to offer the CPEC to Pakistan.It also highlights that an important strategic objective behind China’s policy to bolster Pakistan’s economic capabilities is to enhance Pakistan’s role in the regional balance of power in South Asia.It also explains that China’s economic partnership with Pakistan also allows China to resist the US hegemony and containment schemes against China.The conclusion summarizes the debate and presents the main argument of this thesis. |
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