CPEC vital for China’s ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative: expert

LONDON: An investment expert has said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is amongst the most important and central part of China’s “One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative as this project needs a harbour which Pakistan ideally offers in the form of Gwadar port.

Ryan He, Board Member of privately held leading real estate investment company, CPIC and expert on Chinese overseas investments, told this to Pakistani media at a press conference here. The event was organised by CPIC to formally announce the launch of Gwadar’s first luxury golf community called “China Pak Golf Estates” for which an MOU for construction has been signed with China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

The press conference was attended by fellow CPIC Board Member Zeeshaan Shah; Lord Maxwell Beaverbrook, CPIC’s Board Member; Mark Savage, Chief Commercial Officer; and Ben Wiseman, Chief Financial Officer.

Ryan He said that China decided to invest in the CPEC after long deliberations and keeping in view all aspects related to Pakistan’s internal dynamics, local and international situation and long-term prospects.

He said that China needed a harbour for its growth and future trade deals and route which Pakistan offered. He said that with China Pak Golf Estate by CPIC, the objective is to help Gwadar build its first social infrastructure to compliment the huge amount of Chinese investment in the area.

“We are developing multi-cultural, lifestyle communities that are secure and cater to both local and expatriate professionals. Gwadar is at the core of all the development that’s taking place.”

He said that China faced a situation quite like the protagonist in Shakespeare's play Hamlet and needed to decide whether "to be or not to be, to invest in Pakistan or not" and in the end it was decided that it was best to invest in Pakistan as that was the real way forward.

Zeeshan Shah explained that the grand golf community worth $265 million is secure and spread across 6.7 million square feet. “It’s a tailor made project for both - locals and expats - and Chinese professionals working in the flourishing port city of Gwadar and provides all of the amenities required for a quality lifestyle, set to become the most desirable lifestyle address in Gwadar.”

Shah said that the CPEC was set to revolutionise Pakistan and already making a huge impact. “The whole world is talking about it. We launched ‘Emerging Pakistan’ campaign on London’s iconic double-decker buses to send out the message to the world that Pakistan is safe to invest and Gwadar offers best returns on investments and investors missing out on investing in Gwadar will regret.

Zeeshan Shah said Pakistan is “a flourishing country. No matter what happened politically in the last ten years, Pakistan’s real estate sector has only progressed. The opportunities in real estate sector will only get better. Gwadar is in the hands of Pakistan army and that gives everyone a strong sense of security.”