Saudi Arabia-China-Pakistan Economic Corridor: intergovernmental green initiatives.

ABSTRACT

The objective of the study is to conduct the socio-economic and environmental survey about the feasibility of Saudi Arabia-China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (SCPEC) in five different dimensions, i.e., (i) key strengths of SCPEC project, (ii) prospective weaknesses of SCPEC project, (iii) opportunities attain Pakistan from SCPEC project, (iv) opportunities gain SCPEC from Pakistan, and (v) possible threats from SCPEC to other countries, including India. The larger number of intellects participated in this survey, including armed personnel working in strategic industries, academicians of higher education institutes, colleges, and public/private schools, doctors, civil servants, employees of non-governmental organizations, and others. The survey identified five major key strengths, including tourism promotion, infrastructure development, technology diffusion, energy demand, and mutual trade gains, while the prospective weaknesses are financial constraints, political instability, international dumping, corruption, and lack of good governance. The survey results show that Pakistan economy could attain maximum opportunities from SCPEC project in the form of economic empowerment, mutual trade gains, transportation development, entrepreneurship, and development of Gwadar port, while the SCPEC project gains from Pakistan in the form of economic stabilization, trade gains, and low transportation cost. The possible threats to SCPEC project to the other countries including India are political threats, security issues, Kashmir issue, and economic issues. The survey results conclude that the large number of intellects confirmed the positivity of SCPEC project for both the Pakistan and for the Chinese economy, while few intellects in numbers are incompatible with the SCPEC project due to economic, environmental, and security threats.