PRESS RELEASE
China and India Will Both Play a Vital Role in Promoting Asia’s Infrastructure Development, Says China’s Global Times
May 29, 2016 (EIRNS)—Responding to geopolitical analysts’ hue and cry that the recently concluded Iran-India-Afghanistan agreement to develop Iran’s Chabahar Port as a transport hub to facilitate trade between India, Indian Ocean littoral states, Iran, and landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia is a "counter-measure" to the China-proposed China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, China’s official Global Times ran a business article May 27 heralding "Indian Deal with Iran Shows Commitment to Infrastructure that Will Benefit China Too." The daily said,
"China is likely to be happy if India can join the ranks of improving infrastructure networks in the region. As a key strategic location connecting East Asia, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, India can promote infrastructure development that will be conducive to economic development in the entire region."
Rebuking the geopolitical mavens, the Global Times pointed out that some people evaluate these projects from the perspective of geopolitics, and imply that China and India are in a race to win strategic trade routes.
"However, this way of thinking also contributes to the complex situation facing Central Asia, which has long been beset by backward infrastructure and only fringe participation in globalization,"
wrote author Hu Weijia.
In conclusion, the Hu assured that
"China is unlikely to engage in strategic confrontation with India. It is clear that the improvement of infrastructure in Central Asia will also provide opportunities for Chinese multinational corporations, which hope to find potential overseas markets in the region."
It also said that
"China and India will both play a vital role in promoting infrastructure development in Asia. In fact, the two countries have begun to seek cooperation with each other in this regard via the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank."
