ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and China’s improving trade ties in the form of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have long been subjected to fault-finding by the Western Media and have often times been relegated to a “debt trap” and “neo-colonialism”, reported Belt and Road News link .
Clarifying the misgivings attached, former prime minister Shaukat Aziz said that the Pakistan-China Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a mutually beneficial way of promoting the development of both countries.
The remarks came while former PM Aziz was attending the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing.
In an interview with a reporter, Aziz elaborated on the think-tank exchanges between the two neighbouring countries.
In response to a question about the significance of the network, Aziz said The Belt and Road is a very interesting concept.
“In my view, it’s a positive development for many countries including Pakistan. And basically, the way I look at Belt and Road is connectivity,” he added.
The former premier stated that BRI will provide a platform for better connectivity. He stressed that BRI can manifest itself on road connections, air connections, sea connections, and digital connections because digital now is a huge part of the ecosystem.
He further underscored that the Gwadar port will create a lot of opportunities of the local people.
Dismissing reports that the BRI was a ‘debt trap’, Aziz said that the BRI was a mechanism to improve the quality of life of your people of the country.
*This article originally appeared on Belt and Road News.*