CPEC: Role in Regional Integration and Peace

Regional economic integration through highways, railways, pipelines and ports (dry and sea) leads towards interdependence which in turn develops stakes for regional states in each other stability and ultimately the goals of development, peace and prosperity are achieved. This particular paper aims to discuss the prospective role of CPEC in regional and intra-regional integration and its potential to positively influence the regional peace and prosperity. The focus is on the pattern of integration s structure which the CPEC offers and which has not been adequately analyzed in the literature so far. The paper argues that CPEC offers an open model of regional integration, increases regional security through interdependence and facilitates regional and global trade in contrast to close and tight regionalism where protectionist measures are adopted for non-member or non-regional states.