China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

In News: China and Pakistan had held a meeting to bring other countries into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

• India said that efforts to broaden CPEC’s scope are “inherently illegal” as it directly infringe on India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

CPEC

• A bilateral project between Pakistan and China.
• Intended to promote connectivity across Pakistan with a network of highways, railways, and pipelines accompanied by energy, industrial, and other infrastructure development projects.
• Aims to link the Western part of China (Xinjiang province) to the Gwadar Port in Balochistan, Pakistan via Khunjerab Pass in the Northern Parts of Pakistan.
• It will pave the way for China to access the Middle East and Africa from Gwadar Port, enabling China to access the Indian Ocean.
• India has been severely critical of the CPEC, as it passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, which is a disputed territory between India and Pakistan.

Source: The Hindu