uring his two-day (20-21 April 2015) visit to Pakistan, Chinese President Xi Jinping substantively upgraded the China-Pakistan strategic relationship. On his first visit to Pakistan and the first by a Chinese President in nine years, Xi Jinping flourished the warmth of this relationship in a signed op-ed published in Pakistan newspapers the day of his arrival, where he said he feels "...I am going to visit the home of my own brother". 51 agreements totaling over US$46 billion for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which has been talked about for over a decade, were signed.
Centred on the development of Gwadar Port and airport, the CPEC includes road, rail and oil and gas pipelines extending 3,000 miles linking China with Gwadar via Islamabad and Karachi. Pakistan had earlier given China "sovereign guarantees" over Gwadar Port. Plans also promote Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's political agenda by agreeing to build two coal-fired power plants by the next general election in 2018 at a cost of US$15.5 billion, adding 10,400 megawatts of electricity.
There are military implications too, as evident in Xi Jinping's address to the joint session of Parliament when he thanked Pakistan for ensuring the security and safety of China's western borders. The proposed communications arteries will bring Chinese and Pakistani armies geographically closer and ensure the presence of Chinese personnel in areas close to India's borders. An estimated 3,000 Chinese military personnel are already working on various projects.
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