Beijing offers Iran to join China-Pakistan Economic Corridor

ISLAMABAD – Top Chinese diplomat in Pakistan has underlined his country's enthusiasm to cooperate with Iran and Afghanistan within the framework of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

"China is interested in the partnership of the friendly states and neighbors of Pakistan, specially Iran, in the CPEC project," Chinese Ambassador to Islamabad Yao Jing said during a press conference in Islamabad on Monday.

Yao underscored that the project benefits not only Pakistan and China but also all the regional states.

Last month, a Saudi team arrived in Pakistan to sign four contracts for oil and mineral sector investment and trade cooperation that "would ultimately extend the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from Gwadar to Africa through Oman and Riyadh."

However, analysts say Pakistan's offer to Saudi Arabia to participate in CPEC and Riyadh's investment in western Balochistan province bordering Iran and Afghanistan, could irk Tehran.

Riyadh is Washington's closest ally in the region, and its involvement in a China-led economic project raises a number of questions about new geopolitical alignments.

Iran, for instance, would certainly not want a Saudi presence next to its border.

On the other hand, pro-government analysts claim the Saudi investment will neither infuriate China nor will it anger Tehran.

The CPEC is a collection of infrastructure projects that are currently under construction throughout Pakistan. Originally valued at $46 billion, the value of CPEC projects was worth $62 billion as of 2017.

The CPEC is intended to rapidly modernize Pakistani infrastructure and strengthen its economy by the construction of modern transportation networks, numerous energy projects, and special economic zones.