Geographical Location of Pakistan: Strategic and Economic Opportunities for China

Abstract

The research paper tried to attempt the geographical location of Pakistan: strategic and economic opportunities for China. Pakistan is geographically located in the North West of South Asia. It has a shared border with four neighboring countries, China is one of them. The geographical location of Pakistan has attracted China to maintain friendly relations with Pakistan. In the paper, secondary sources are used with a qualitative method. The relevant material has collected from books, newspapers, journal articles, published and unpublished dissertations. Pakistan is a neighboring state of China which is located on the beach of the Arabian Sea. It provides the shortest access for China to African states, the Middle East & to the international market through Gwadar port and Karakorum Highway (KKH). KKH is a trade corridor between Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia (CA) and China. Gwadar port is a naval base which reduces the US-Indian hegemony in the Indian Ocean. Gilgit Baltistan (GB) is located in-between China, Afghanistan and India. It cuts Indian access to the CA and Afghanistan. The geographical location of Pakistan is an opportunity to reduce the large distance of China’s shipping route that passes through the Strait of Malacca and the then South China Sea. Due to its geostrategic position, Pakistan can help China’s “go west policy”, “string of the pearl strategy”, and control the Strait of Hurmoz and interaction with the Muslim world. Both have strong, all-weather and time-testedfriendship, in the past, present and also expected in the future.