Dr Maqsudul Hasan Nuri
Much debate has swirled around the pros and cons of CPEC’s mammoth project being launched. Its economic potential is discussed at length and it is considered as a “game changer.” The net result of regional connectivity is invoked that would ultimately profit the entire region. However scarcely mentioned are possible socio-cultural implications of the project along the eastern and western regions where CPEC routes traverse and Pakistani society at large.
China self-describes itself as a ‘socialist country with Chinese characteristics’; it claims it is undergoing ‘peaceful development.’ Culturally, Confucian norms and roots in Buddhism define China’s cultural life. If so, could it radiate some of its value systems in Pakistani society in the next decades while completing the momentous CPEC project?
Confucian values have been officially recreated in China since the last decade or so. They epitomize hierarchy, discipline, consistency and a result-oriented approach. Also, family values, respect for authority, harmony, work ethics and efficient management are emphasized.
Wherever he Chinese workers have gone on development missions in the Third World (ME, Africa, Asia, Africa and Latin America) they have demonstrated these virtues and by and large earned respect and gratitude of local people. The Western world, perturbed by dynamism and competition sometimes decries this as “Chinese neo-colonialism” little realizing that China has hardly ventured beyond its borders to occupy foreign land or built any colonies.
Over the last six decades Pakistan-China friendship has stood the test of times and vagaries of national and global politics. Pakistan is no stranger to the Chinese work ethics and value system; it has already built KKH, dams, defense and energy-related projects in Pakistan.
Of course, they have their core national interests at heart and CPEC is a vivid reflection of that. Unless there is mutuality of interests cooperation cannot take place and friendship is not sustainable.
If and when CPEC matures and fructifies after long gestation they are bound to have lasting socio-cultural spillover in Pakistan. For, any major economic development often brings in its wake significant socio-cultural changes in societies. Since the CPEC route will be passing through Northern regions, KPK. Punjab and Balochistan reaching Gwadar seaport there could be spillover socio-cultural repercussions.
When Pakistani and Chinese workers have a chance to work together and interact on the construction of these projects there is going to be some sharing of cultural values. Besides transfer of skills by China, the cultural and social values might be disseminated. For example, when the people start observing and benefiting from the Chinese work culture and socialist ethics and results produced they are bound to be some attitudinal changes.
Tribal-cum-feudal cultures are always resistant to modernist changes but that does not mean that they are frozen in time and space and shall permanently remain so. Already, incremental changes are afoot and, who knows, after two decades or so Balochistan and Northern Areas will remain the same. Should the project see completion in time and benefits trickle down to common people goodwill towards China will correspondingly increase.
Besides, education for the locals to study in China will get a fillip and many young people will be tempted to travel and get education in different fields. On return, they might be infused with Chinese values and its phenomenal progress. This admiration is already underway.
China’s aid philosophy and strategy is different from the West. In Africa, Latin America and Middle East they have followed a generally non-interventionist approach in domestic policies of their host countries; avoided partisan and condescending behavior; completed projects in time; and followed an austere working and living style. In addition, projects are cost-effective and are designed and customized to suit local conditions. This has generally endeared them to the local population. These cultural traits values may soften the entrenched feudal tribal systems of host countries over time when people see the benefits flowing into their lives.
Not only Iran in eastern province of Seistan-Balochistan might see some sympathetic development and dissidence lessen once Gwadar becomes operational. Cargo and trade traffic will generate economic activity and affect the cultural landscape of the region. Of course, there will be resistance by vested interests but then forces of change and progress cannot be forestalled for long.
Today feudalism and tribalism are slowly yielding to forces of modernization and development. When the British came to the Indian subcontinent they built the physical infrastructure: roads, railways, bridges, some basic industry; military garrisons, education and bureaucracy. Despite some resistance people welcomed their law and order, cultural values, education, work ethics, democracy and policies of religious harmony. Likewise, when the Soviets came to Central Asia they propagated their values of education administration which persist today. This led to erosion of feudalism and religious fundamentalism. Of course, they used persuasion with force in pushing their ideological system. Today Central Asian states are relatively modernized and developed as compared to other Islamic world.
True, China is involved more economically and not as socially in Pakistan —so the impact may not be as much as that by the British and Russians. But the Chinese education system, language, cultural mores may impinge upon Pakistan culture too. The Chinese language is already getting attention and China’s soft power will affect as engineers, doctors and educationist go for education in China and then return.
In view of political tumult in the ME, Pakistan is reviewing its traditional foreign policy and is poised for ‘Look East’ policy. Already, people are familiar with the Chinese soft power in Pakistan viz., music, dance troupes, fairs, sports and cultural activities in the country. Chinese is getting strong attention now and Confucius Institutes in universities are imparting history and cultural courses.
Some may object that Chinese are used to living insular lives with different language and eating habits and may not interact closely with Pakistanis. But cultural studies have shown that wherever development goes apace cultural/social norms and values intermingle and benefit from each other. Pakistan has a multi-cultural and multi-lingual past: it boasts of a rich heritage after having imbibed many foreign influences: Arabic, Turkish, Iranian, Greek and Indian.
Islam, as a global religion, has imbibed different cultures of Africa, India and the Far East and yet maintained its identity and religious belief system.
Buddhism is widely followed in China and had its origins in Nepal, South Asia; but it was hounded out from the land of its birth and spread to China and beyond to East Asia via Pakistan’s Northern regions. Many Chinese follow Buddhism and Pakistani Northern regions have many old sites of Buddhism and Gandhara civilization. Sri Lanka, Nepal and India have sizable Buddhist population.
Earlier, the success of Chinese revolution and economic reforms sparked admiration for its dynamic values, notwithstanding the different political system. This was eulogized by Pakistani national poet, Muhammad Iqbal in late 1930s in his famous poetic lines when he said:
“The streams of the Himalayas are bubbling and the sleep-laden Chinese are now waking up.” (Himala ke chashme obalney lagey; gharaan khaab Cheeni sambhalne lagey).
A redeeming feature could be that CPEC’s western and eastern routes, once completed with ancillary development projects, could create economic stake for Pakistan’s neighbors, such as Afghanistan, Iran and India. If the going is good they might be willing to also partake from the economic dividends. As a consequence, this would dampen distrust between South Asian neighbors and pave the way for regional connectivity.
Thus CPEC, if pursued to its logical conclusion, with pre-requisites of effective law and order, national focus and consensus, timely implementation, transparency and accountability, benefits accruing to smaller provinces — may well turn into a ‘cultural corridor.’ Here China and Pakistan will mutually gain. In other words, a symbiotic relationship could develop among people-to-people which was lacking heretofore.
After all, as the common saying goes, where caravans start moving across borders national armies invariably do not cross them.
(The writer is the head of Department of International Relations National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad)
