Belt and Road Initiative drop economic corridor project

Question: Which of the following project is recently dropped by China under its Belt and Road initiative (BRI)?
(a) China Myanmar Economic Corridor
(b) China Pakistan Economic Corridor
(c) Bangladesh China India Myanmar Economic Corridor
(d) Nepal China cross border Railway
Answer: (c)
Related facts:

• China has announced to drop the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor (BCIM) from the list of projects covered under its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
• This decision is speculated to have been taken after India’s repetitive boycott of OBOR and its decision to skip the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) may have led to the exclusion of the Bangladesh- China- India- Myanmar (BCIM) Economic corridor from the list of projects covered by the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) umbrella.
• Bangladesh China India Myanmar Economic Corridor was not listed in the projects mentioned in the annex of the Joint Communique of the Leaders’ Roundtable of the second edition of the Belt and Road summit that concluded between 25-27 April 2019.

India`s stand:

• India has continuously boycotted the One Belt One Road initiative of China since it has been showcased to the world.
• India did not attend the event in protest against the project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
• CPEC is the most important project aimed by OBOR which goes for developing infrastructure and routes via Pakistan.
•  India`s opposition comes due to the project blueprint covering the Pakistan occupied Kashmir in its route of development.
• India has accused Pakistan for disturbing its sovereignty.

South Asia project:

• South Asia is covered by three major undertakings – the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC), the Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan Multi-dimensional Connectivity Network, including Nepal-China cross-border railway, as well as the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

BCIM:

• BCIM corridor has total route coverage of 2800 km.
• It proposes to link Kunming in China’s Yunnan province with Kolkata and passing further through nodes such as Mandalay in Myanmar and Dhaka in Bangladesh before heading to Kolkata.
• It was reported that for over past five years or so, the four partner countries [of the BCIM] have worked together in close cooperation to build this corridor in the framework of joint working groups.
• They have planned a number of major projects in institutional development, infrastructure connectivity, cooperation in trade and industrial parks, cooperation and opening up in the financial market, cultural exchange, and cooperation in enhancing people’s wellbeing.

China Myanmar Economic Corridor (CMEC):

• The BRI had got a boost last September when Myanmar inked an agreement with Beijing to establish the CMEC.
• This 1,700-km corridor provides China yet another route to access the Indian Ocean.
• The CMEC will run from Yunnan Province of China to Mandalay in Central Myanmar and then heading towards Yangon, before terminating at the Kyaukpyu Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on the Bay of Bengal.
• The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) has opened a new centre in Yangon last August which could help fund some of the CMEC driven projects.
• This project will also reduce the trade and energy reliance of China on the Malacca straits; the narrow passage that links the Indian Ocean with the Pacific.
• Chinese planners also worry about the military domination of the United States in Malacca straits and can threaten one of China’s major economic lifelines.

Nepal China Trans Himalayan Connectivity:

• The Nepal-China Trans-Himalayan connectivity network listed is planned to start from Chengdu, from where it is linked to Tibet by the Sichuan-Tibet Highway, or the Sichuan-Tibet Railway.
• The railway from Tibet will be further extended to Kathmandu, via Ya’an, Qamdo, Lhasa and Shigatse.

Links:

https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/china-drops-bcim-from-bri-projects-list-119042800540_1.html https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/bangladesh-china-india-myanmar-bcim-economic-corridor-no-longer-listed-under-bri-umbrella/article26971613.ece