How Pakistan is important for China due to its strategic importance will be explained in this presentation.

1. Strategic
Importance of
Pakistan Towards
China
Presented By: Muhammad Zeeshan
Registration #: 14-NTU-0122

2. Geographical Description of
Pakistan
 Pakistan is located in South-East Asia.
 24.35 North to 37.05 North Latitude and 61 East to 78
East longitude.
 East: India
 West : Iran
 North: China
 North West : Afghanistan
 South : Arabian Sea

4. Cont…
 Khyber Pass connects Pakistan and Afghanistan.
 Khunjrab Pass links Pakistan and China.
 Pakistan and Iran borders meet at Koh-i-Tuftan.

5. Strategic Importance of
Pakistan
 Gateway to Central Asia:
Pakistan is at the middle of Asia and
near the countries rich in gas and oil resources. So it is
always been focused region of western quest for oil and
energy.
 Proximity of great powers:
US interest in Asian region to
contain the growing China, nuclear Iran and terrorist
Afghanistan. US also get benefits from market of India. So
to enter into this region US must have a good relations with
Pakistan.

6. Cont…
 Significance as Transit Economy:
Land locked Afghanistan finds its way through
Pakistan. China with its fastest growth economy of 9% GDP is
4500km from Sinkiang but Gwadar is only 2500km away. Gwadar
port with its deep and warm waters attracts the trade ships of CAR
and South East Asian Countries. Pakistan provides shortest route to
Central Asian region.
 Important link in the chain of Muslim
Countries:
Pakistan is Situated at the center of Islamic
countries of Asia and Africa. It is linked to these countries by land
and sea routes. It actively works for mutual alliance and unity of
Muslims.

7. Cont…
 Only Muslim country with Nuclear
Capability:
Among all the Muslim countries,
Pakistan is the only Muslim country having nuclear
capability which have great influence on activities in the
region.

8. Strategic importance of Pakistan
Towards China
Gwadar Port:
 Gwadar is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea it is
in Pakistan's western province of Baluchistan. Gwadar is
only 2500km away from China while Sinkiang is 4500
km away.
 The surrounding region is home to around two-thirds of
the world's oil reserves. It is also the nearest warm-water
seaport to the Middle East Region but energy
rich, Central Asian Republics and
landlocked Afghanistan.
 China is developing its own western region and has been
building a network of roads in Pakistan, and intends to
lay pipelines and a railway track. Pakistan offered China
a ‘trade and energy corridor’ via Gwadar, linked to
inland roads. The plan would see oil being imported
from the Middle East, stored in refineries at Gwadar and
sent to China via roads, pipelines or railway.

9. Cont.…
 Due to the strong military ties between China and
Pakistan, Gwadar port has received excessive attention
from the very beginning. Despite its being over a decade
since China started construction of the first phase, no
military-related activity has ever been observed there. If
China intended to use a Pakistani port for naval
purposes, Karachi, with its established military
infrastructure, is an alternative that is available. Although
Karachi has the strategic disadvantage of proximity to
India.

13. China’s link with Middle East:
 Middle east region is the heart of Muslim world. Any
country who have good relations with Middle east region
may rule the whole Muslim world.
 Middle east needs Pakistan land for trade with the whole
world. These Gulf States possessing 63% of world’s oil
reserves. To fulfill oil and gas needs, China also want to
build good relations with Middle east region.
 Pakistan is the only short and direct link between china and
middle east. In development of this link, making Gwadar
port functional will play an important role.

15. China-India Boundary Issues:
India have conflict with both Pakistan and
China on Siachen Glaciers. China also handed over its two
check posts to Pakistan army and pay for them to Pakistan army.
After Sino-Indo war(1962), China built good relations with
India’s biggest rival i.e. Pakistan.

17.  Economic Corridor:
The China–Pakistan Economic Corridor
(CPEC) is an under construction $46 billion megaproject
which is intended to upgrade and expand Pakistani
infrastructure.
A network of pipelines to transport liquefied
natural gas and oil will also be laid as part of the project,
including a $2.5 billion pipeline between Gwadar
and Nawabshah to transport gas from Iran.
Under CPEC, China will grant Pakistan $230
million in order to construct a new international airport in
Gwadar which is to be operational by December 2017.

18. Cont.….
Under the CPEC project, China has announced
financing for $10.63 billion worth of transportation
infrastructure so far; $6.1 billion have been allocated for road
construction at 1.6 percent interest rate, while $1.6 billion have
also been allocated for mass transit at a 2.4% interest rate.
The CPEC project also emphasizes major
upgrades to Pakistan's aging railway system. Part of the plan
includes a $3.65 billion overhaul of the of Karachi–Peshawar
main railway line with expected completion by December
2019. Overhauling of the tracks will permit train travel at up to
160 kilometers per hour, versus the average 60–80 km per hour
speeds currently possible on existing rails.