The prime minister’s recent visit to China meant a lot of agreements and contracts between the two sides. The bulk of these agreements centered on investments by Chinese companies in energy projects in Pakistan. The government claimed the agreements would be a “game-changer” for the country.
Greater investment interest by China in Pakistan is indeed welcome and long overdue. The fact that out of a total of $101 billion outward FDI by China in 2013, only $90 million found its way into Pakistan is a reflection of how Pakistan has failed till now to leverage its unique and special relationship with its great north-eastern neighbour.
This is as good a time as any for Pakistan to woo strategic investments by China. As amply demonstrated by the recent APEC summit hosted by China and the developments on its sidelines, China has been craftily using its economic powerhouse status and riches to project ‘soft power’ and increase its economic and political footprint from Africa to Asia.
