Karachi/Beijing:As much as 98 per cent of China’s development funding for its all-weather ally Pakistan came in the form of “less-than-generous loans,” with only two per cent coming in the form of grants between 2000 and 2021, according to a research report.

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a global infrastructure and investment initiative by Beijing, was launched in 2013. It is thought to be the largest partnership of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It increased to over USD 62 billion over time, and at least USD 25 billion was invested in cash-strapped Pakistan.

“Out of the total Chinese development finance portfolio of USD 70.3 billion, committed between 2000 and 2021 in Pakistan, eight per cent was official development assistance (grants and highly concessional loans) and 89 per cent was other official sector loans,” said a report in The News International, quoting AidData, a US-based research lab.

Press Trust of India