Economic Integration and Geopolitical Implications of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)is one of the significant elements of the China Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that is expected to enhance connectivity, trade, and economic integration within the territory of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. The article examines the two aspects of CPEC, the geopolitical and economic ones, which evaluate the potential influence of CPEC on the change of the development pattern in Pakistan and the strategic role of China. In terms of the economy, CPEC will definitely modify the infrastructure in Pakistan, solve its long-term problems with energy crises, and stimulate industrial growth through special economic zones(SEZs).The paper emphasizes the fact that CPEC is not only an economic initiative, but it is also a strategic alliance that reinvents the balance of power in South Asia. CPEC highlights the interdependence, as it is complicated to separate and choose between economics and security in modern international relations.