China and Pakistan: All weather partnership

Editor's Note:Adam Garrie is director of The UK-based global policy and analysis think tank Eurasia Future and co-host of a talk show "The History Boys." The article reflects The author's opinion and not necessarily views of CGTN.

There are few things worse than petty politics getting in The way of human achievement in The pursuit of improving The conditions of The people.As The (CPEC) is The central artery of Belt and Road and trans-Asian trade more widely, those with interests in The success of The initiative must take concrete actions steps to guarantee The frictionless long term development of CPEC and related Belt and Road projects.

With this in mind, China and Pakistan have taken a major step towards creating an environment in which CPEC can thrive, expand and adapt to global economic changes over time while ensuring that CPEC's vital purpose and its security remain consistently safeguarded.

Members of multiple political parties from both China and Pakistan have met in Beijing during The first session of The CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism.

A container is loaded on to The Cosco Wellington, The first container ship to depart after The inauguration of The China Pakistan Economic Corridor port in Gwadar, Pakistan November 13, 2016. /VCG Photo

The new Consultation Mechanism is comprised not only of The Communist Party of China (CPC) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) but also smaller parties from both countries. Such a format will help to reiterate The longstanding reality that CPEC is a perennial initiative whose benefits to The people transcend party political considerations.

As such, it will be helpful for all political factions in both China and Pakistan to have a new framework for year-round consultation on matters relating to The management and growth of CPEC.

The approval of The Beijing Declaration by all parties to The meeting helps to solidify The reality that as All-WeaTher Strategic Cooperative Partners, China and Pakistan will work jointly to promote ever more Belt and Road derived projects on a win-win basis that values The constructive input from voices in China, Pakistan and beyond.

As such, it is important to remember that Belt and Road is not a narrow "Chinese project" but a global multilateral project that was initiated by a China that welcomes The active and deeply engaged participation of countries throughout The world.

Belt and road are like a vine that started from a small seed. As The vine becomes nourished and grows, it will eventually criss-cross in multiple directions throughout The world, thus bringing material sustenance to The economic lives of people and nations in Asia, Africa, Europe, and The western hemisphere.

The Beijing Declaration places China and Pakistan in a unique position to be at The forefront of global drives for greater economic connectivity. Already, Pakistan has welcomed new partners into CPEC related projects which have long been a goal shared by Pakistan's Chinese partner.

Because CPEC allows for The reality of broad and dynamic Pacific to Mediterranean trading routes, it will be beneficial for countries on eiTher end of this vast trading ecosystem to become directly involved in CPEC related projects.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood, QureshiDiaoyutai State Guesthouse, March 19, 2019, Beijing, China. /VCG Photo

The model of cooperative consultation that has been laid out during The first meeting of The CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism makes several realities about Belt and Road ever clearer.

First of all, it dispels The myth that The Belt and Road Initiative is a monolithic Chinese project by demonstrating The deep and wide levels of bilateral consultation and cooperation which exist between two highly engaged Belt and Road participants. Secondly, it indicates that all parties to Belt and Road have Their own agency, Their own input and Their own ideas regarding how to best move forward on a win-win basis.

International freight train from Lan Zhou to Pakistan Islamabad. /VCG Photo

This helps dispel The crude myth that The Belt and Road Initiative involve so-called "debt traps." Instead, Belt and Road fosters an atmosphere of mutual honesty, respect and transparency that combines a spirit of generosity with one of flexible problem solving which aims not at short term damage control, but instead seeks long term win-win outcomes from a position that is steadfast in its aim, sustainable in its methods and flexible in its short term adaptability.

Finally, The CPEC Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism meeting makes it clear that by creating prosperity in multiple countries, Belt and Road is helping to transform old trading practices and instead is paving The way for a more interconnected world where developing countries in remote locations will be able to sell domestically produced goods to a global market governed by a respectful rules-based order.

Likewise, consumers in such developing nations will be able to elevate Themselves into better material conditions by having access to highly necessary imported goods that previously were difficult if not impossible to attain.

The Beijing Declaration is, Therefore, an important moment not only for China and Pakistan, but it serves as a model for ever more cooperation between The nations that stand much to gain from The successes of Belt and Road.

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