B-8: Future of BRI in the Post-COVID World
- The world can learn a great deal from China’s Belt and Road Initiative as well as the
China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Chinese model of development, not just in
terms of infrastructure, but also how complex projects like CPEC and BRI are negotiated
across and between various countries
- China managed to mobilize both human and physical resources swiftly and controlled the
outbreak in the country within two months. One main reason for this is the logistics and
organizational skills China has built up in 30 years, building and developing an
unprecedented infrastructure in the history of mankind. All aspects of infrastructure
played a role in this effort: transport, power, water, telecommunications. China has
become the champion of infrastructure development in the world. Countries in South
Asia and even Africa can learn from this model.
- Good infrastructure for providing a good level of healthcare for populations is vital,
therefore, governments need to prioritize infrastructure development projects financially.
- Other global economic powers need emulate China and join it in the BRI, and not focus
merely on the now proven obsolete policy of mere emergency aid.
The world needs a new financial architecture and a new credit system needs to be
established. This could be modelled on the Bretton Woods system, established for the
reconstruction efforts and trade in the post-WWII period. However, this time it should
not be an exclusive club, but a global initiative.
- The BRI is already a functioning framework for win-win cooperation among nations.
Extending the BRI to make it a global mechanism of cooperation would be the decisive
factor in building a global healthcare system that is capable of facing such challenges as
this pandemic and future health, environmental, and even cosmic events more
appropriately.
- Pakistanis should go to China and join hands with Chinese companies for employment
and joint business ventures.
