ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan and China have agreed to ensure security of the $56 billion China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that connects China with a Pakistani port of Gwadar for which Pakistan has already allocated 10, 000 military personnel. Â
According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, a meeting between the Chief of Joint Staff of Chinese Army Fang Fenghui and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistani Army Zubair Mahmood Hayat was also held in Beijing in which they agreed to jointly provide security to CPEC.
China has promised to inject some $56 billion in the project that would allow China to export its goods to the Middle East and Africa, and import oil bypassing the narrow Strait of Malacca which may be easily blocked in case of a conflict with the United States.
The CPEC project would generate more than 700,000 new jobs in Pakistan, and would also help overcoming energy crisis in Pakistan as $35 billion would be invested on energy projects under the CPEC.
Under CPEC, special economic and industrial zones would be established in provinces and under the control of centre in Pakistan.
