The Baloch House

China's expansion in Latin America of its Belt and Road initiative to build ports and other trade-related facilities is stirring alarm in Washington over Beijing's ambitions in a region that American leaders since the 19th century have seen as off-limits to other powers.China is hardly a newcomer to the region, but now it's focusing on countries in Central America such as Panama. It's a country of just 4 million people but its canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans makes it one of the world's busiest trade arteries and strategically important both to Washington and Beijing.As American officials express alarm at Beijing's ambitions in the US-dominated Western Hemisphere, China has launched a charm offensive, wooing Panamanian politicians, professionals and journalists.Read more

Source: Xinhua| 2019-04-05 01:09:45|KITWE, Zambia, April 4 (Xinhua) -- An opposition political party in Zambia on Thursday urged member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to take advantage of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) by coming up with related projects.Peter Sinkamba, president for the opposition Green Party, said that the BRI is a well-intended initiative meant to bring about connectivity among countries to improve trade."China's move to embark on connecting the world is a good gesture that will improve intra trade among countries across the world, so SADC should move in quickly to have a project with BRI," he said.Infrastructure in most African countries is in poor state which requires projects under the BRI model, he added.Sinkamba told Xinhua in an interview that those "demonizing" China lack information on BRI and on how to deal with the Chinese.African countries should take advantage of the initiative and open up their…

NAVEED BUTT APR 4TH, 2019ISLAMABADPakistan and China are likely to sign memoranda of understanding on various projects of second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) on April 26 during the Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to China, it is learnt. China is going to hold the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation on April 25 in Beijing in which nearly 40 foreign governments and representatives from more than 100 countries would participate.Prime Minister Imran Khan on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping would start a three-day visit on April 25 to attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. Pakistan will have a key role in the conference because the CPEC is a flagship project of the Belt and Road initiative.According to sources, chief ministers of the provinces, minister for planning, development and reform and high officials of other ministries including Pakistan Railways would also accompany Prime Minster Khan durin…

Amir WasimApril 05, 2019
ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Thursday constituted a parliamentary committee on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to oversee ongoing projects despite “reservations” by members of the Senate over the move.According to an official announcement by the National Assembly Secretariat, the speaker has constituted the committee in pursuance of motions adopted by the National Assembly during its sitting on Feb 21 and the Senate on March 1.The committee comprises 14 members of the National Assembly and seven senators belonging to all major political parties having representation in parliament.Move opposed by senators as special committee of Senate on economic corridor is already functioning

The members from the National Assembly are: Noor Alam Khan, Sher Ali Arbab, Sadaqat Ali Khan, Umer Aslam Khan, Mir Khan Mohammad Jamali and Zile Huma of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Ghous Bux Khan Mahar of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GD…

The Newspaper's Staff ReporterUpdated April 05, 2019

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks to Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa during their meeting at PM Office on Thursday.—PPIISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa on Thursday held security consultations.In a brief statement issued after the meeting, the PM Office said that the army chief had called on Prime Minister Khan at PM Office where they discussed various important security-related matters.The meeting was held two days after the corps commanders’ conference, which deliberated on the security matters. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) had in a statement on the corps commanders’ conference said: “The forum also expressed its resolve to support government and all stakeholders in implementation of National Action Plan.”Gen Bajwa had on that occasion told his commanders that the country was on the path to becoming “a state where prerogative of use of weapons …

Image Credit: Flickr/ wetlandsofpakistan
Development around the coastal city, the heart of CPEC, has local fishing communities worried for the future.By Mariyam SulemanApril 03, 2019“Fishing is all I know,” says Asif Baloch, who has been earning his living through fishing for the last 25 years. His two young sons accompany him while he takes his boat into the Arabian Sea off the eastern coast of Gwadar.For hundreds of years, Gwadar has been a natural sea port and fishing has been a vital source of food and income for the local residents. Now faced with an uncertain future, the fishing communities fear losing their livelihood and the possibility of being relocated out of Gwadar city.In Pakistan, Gwadar is the heart of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But Gwadar has been in the headlines long before it was part of CPEC. In early 2000s after a deep-sea port was first constructed here, this natural port town got huge inte…

Prateek Joshi, Research Associate, VIFApril 4 , 2019


Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent assertion that Pakistan would play a key role in the Afghan peace settlement has contributed to the latest downswing of ties between these two nations.1 In his address to journalists, Imran Khan not only blamed the Ghani regime for playing a spoiler in the peace process, but also emphasized on setting up a provisional government that would pave the way for free and fair elections in the war torn nation.2 Further, to show that it was the Afghan government that played spoiler in the peace process, Khan said that his scheduled meeting with the Taliban leadership had been cancelled due to Kabul’s objection.3 The blame seems outlandish as Rawalpindi’s Afghan policy is not dependent on Kabul’s concerns, unless the international community wants to think on these lines in its quest to accommodate the Taliban. Khan’s address comes few days after his speech at Bajaur where he harped on the need for Ghani regi…

Daily News UpdateToday's briefsSERVICES SECTOR
1.China’s services sector expands at fastest rate in 14 monthsActivity in China’s services sector accelerated to a 14-month high in March, according to a Caixin and IHS Markit survey, said the Financial Times.
The Caixin Chinese services business activity index rose to 54.4 in March from 51.1 in February, the fastest increase since January 2018. Readings above 50 signify expansion.
The improved outlook for the services sector comes after Caixin’s manufacturing purchasing managers’ index showed the sector returned to growth in March. 
Zhengsheng Zhong, the director of macroeconomic analysis at CEMB group said China’s economic fundamentals showed improvement in March but that sentiment remained cautious. He added that more evidence was needed “to determine whether the Chinese economy has stabilized.”BRI2.China works to define BRI for the first timeChina is drafting rules for overseas investments to be considered part of President Xi Jinpin…