China is building a city for 5 lakh Chinese citizens, as part of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at $150 million in Gwadar, in an attempt to create the first Chinese city in South Asia, Economic Times reported. The citizens will be housed in the city by 2022.
The citizens will be part of the financial district’s workforce- a plan being set up by Beijing in in the Pakistani port city of Gwadar. Only Chinese citizens will be allowed to live in the zone.
ET has reported that the China-Pak Investment Corporation bought the 3.6-million square foot International Port City and will build a $150-million gated community for the anticipated 5,00,000 Chinese professionals who will be located by 2022 and work in its proposed new financial district in Gwadar.
China already has similar subcities in Africa and Central Asia. There are currently allegations that China is in the process of acquiring eastern Russia and northern part of Myanmar territory. These local zones have given rise to resentment. For advancing the geographical mid-link in BRI, Beijing has invested in Pakistan’s pipelines, railways, highways, power plants, industrial areas and mobile networks.
Chinese inland manufacturing cities have, in return to the investments, been able to secure better links to shipping lanes and newly made free trade zones through railways, port renovation and blockchain technology.
China has been spending $18.5 billion on CPEC projects in 2015, with 19 out of 35 either completed or underway.
