China recently announced to invest $46 billion in the next few years to construct the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The CPEC will connect Pakistan's Gwadar Port in southwestern Balochistan province to China's northwestern Xinjiang via a network of highways, railways and pipelines to transport oil and gas. This massive project is not only beneficial for Pakistan, but also will help augment the regional connectivity. It will open an avenue of political clout for China in the AfPak region.  

When the world's second-largest economy looks set to take a greater role in the region, can it bring stability to the troubled region? Balochistan is the least developed province, plagued by separatist movements.  

To tame unrest in Pakistan's tribal belt and Balochistan, the people there need job opportunities besides security operations and the CPEC looks a promising project. However the alleged changes in the original route of this massive corridor project triggered concerns among the Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. Some claimed that the changes in the original route favors only one province，Punjab. 

It will not be a bad idea at all to establish a joint force in the troubled areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan so that terrorism is fought with concerted efforts. Afghanistan appreciates the project and hoped it will help countries in the region to improve trade and security relations. There is a warm feeling in Afghanistan toward China over its peacemaking role in the war-ravaged country.  

According to Afghan and Pakistani media, Pakistan's security officials along with Taliban representatives flew to China in November 2014 shortly after the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani visited Beijing in October, where he held talks with top Chinese officials regarding peace and security in Afghanistan. China hosted the Istanbul Process meeting. Its prime objective was to create a new vision on regional cooperation for secure and stable Afghanistan.  

During Ghani's inaugural visit to China, Beijing pledged to provide Kabul with $327 million in aid through 2017. Officials in Kabul say Beijing hosted the Taliban delegation in an attempt to support the Afghan reconciliation process. Chinese President Xi Jinping also vowed to open a new era of cooperation in China-Afghanistan relations. Perhaps he demonstrated its start when he asked Pakistan during his recent visit to Islamabad to increase its efforts to overcome security issues in Afghanistan.  

China-Afghanistan cooperation is determined largely by the stability of the security situation, but the Taliban remains a major threat. It is quite predictable that China's military capabilities, political will, and changes in regional security dynamics could lead to shifts in China's security developments.  

An emerging China being surrounded by countries with poor securities and economies means its growth is under threat. So, undoubtedly China will eventually have to address security problems, which are currently plaguing the region.  

China has also increased its economic aid and investment in Afghanistan particularly with announcement of Metallurgical Corporation of China pledging $3.5 billion to develop Aynak copper mine. It cannot just sit idly to overlook militancy that is thriving in the region. For that purpose China needs to have a more stable Afghanistan, Pakistan and Central Asia. Should China succeed in bringing the regional states closer, Beijing richly deserves a laurel crown.  

The author writes on regional affairs. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn