By Choekyi Lhamo
DHARAMSHALA, Aug 17: The Nepalese government has reiterated its support for the One-China policy following the Chinese government’s pledge to provide USD 118 million in aid for the year 2022, along with announcements of trade concessions on the stalled Belt and Road Initiatives (BRI) projects. The Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Nepalese foreign minister Narayan Khadka in Qingdao, China, to officially announce the aid last week.
“The two foreign ministers took stock of overall aspects of Nepal-China relations and agreed to promote further cooperation in various sectors, including trade, connectivity, investment, health, tourism, poverty alleviation, agriculture, disaster management, education, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, among others,” the Nepalese foreign ministry said in a statement. In addition, Wang further announced 3 million RMB worth of disaster relief resources and an additional 12 million RMB worth of medical assistance to Nepal.
After the talks, minister Khadka reiterated the country’s unwavering support for the One-China policy and reassured the CCP government that no “anti-China” activity will be allowed in Nepalese territory. The Chinese government had expressed disappointment earlier this year over the Nepalese parliament’s agreement to the US-funded USD 500 million Millennium Challenge Corporation compact.
The statements also said that China would fund the feasibility study of the China-Nepal cross-border railway through the Himalayas via Tibet, which has made experts concerned about the potential damage it could cause to the fragile ecosystem. Keyrung-Kathmandu Railway is part of the trans-Himalayan connectivity network; it was formally agreed between China and Nepal in 2017 when Kathmandu agreed to join the BRI.
The border encroachment allegations on Nepalese territory by China, which Beijing denies, were also discussed during the meetings in China. “Both sides agreed to form a bilateral technical committee to make necessary preparation for the functioning of the existing mechanism of the Nepal-China Joint Boundary Inspection Committee,” the statement said.
5 Responses
Nepal’s reiteration of support for the One-China Policy is equal to selling your morals for money. For the world, Nepal is already an autonomous state of the People’s Republic of China. China is a snake that cannot be considered a domestic friend, it’ll strike when you are least aware.
Each time a coin is dropped into a slot, the machine makes a sound “We adhere to one China policy and Tibet is part of China. Pig goes away satisfied until next time he needs to hear the same sound again from the slot machine.
Nepal is a country caught between the devil and the sea. The Indians are trying to coerce them to be with India and on the other hand the Chinese are luring them with huge amount of money to buy their favour. The poor landlocked country is pushed and pulled apart by two jealous neighbours. Culturally, it is closer to India but India’s policy of an undeclared embargo of petrol and other commodities in a constitutional issue concerning the Nepalis known as Madhesi living in the terai region and their rights caused a serious rift between the two countries. The Chinese made pledges to support Nepal in procuring its commodities from China through Tibet but it was just an empty promise. The tyranny of distance paid put to that. But strong undercurrent of anti-India sentiments run deep in Nepal. Initially, it was caused by the 1951 Indo-Nepal Treaty which made Nepal more or less like a protectorate of India including the prevention of Nepal buying any weapons from other countries without India’s consent. Sharing of river water between the two countries was another contentious issue. The other was the migration of Indians to Nepal and owning all the big businesses caused lot of anti-India sentiments too.
As the Nepalese communists came to power, it lurched towards communist China and India was left in the lurch. During the Nepali communist leader Oli era, it was reported Nepalese young people were made to study so called Xi thought – a book produced by the CCP as part of its indoctrination policy.
Normally, the Nepal Congress used to be pro-India owing to its early leaders such as BP Koirala who were given asylum by India during the monarchy when opposition political parties were banned.
The elder statesman of Nepal know the history of Tibet but unfortunately that generation has passed. However, history can’t be erased. Nepal and Tibet have waged three wars against each other and have signed treaties such as the TREATY OF THAPATHALI in January 1856. The preamble of the Treaty clearly states; “The Bhanders (Nobles) of Gorkha Government of Nepal and those of Government of Bhod (Tibet) have BY OUR OWN FREE WILL DECIDED to sign this document.
Article 2 of the treaty states ; Gorkha is to render assistance to Tibet, as far as possible, if she is invaded by a foreign power!
When the Chinese occupied Tibet, the Nepalese were forced to abrogate the treaty but given to enjoy the provisions enlisted in the treaty. The Nepalese still enjoy the freedom to open shops and live in Tibet as was agreed by the Thapathali Treaty between independent Tibet and Nepal. In fact the Nepalese used this treaty to prove their sovereignty when they sought admission to the United Nations!
Going back in history, Nepal was forced to give Princess Birkuti Devi, the daughter of Nepali King Amsuvarma in marriage to the mighty Tibetan emperor Songtsen Gampo. So was China also forced to give Princess Wencheng in marriage to the Tibetan emperor. To this day, I have been told that a throne of Birkuti Devi is still standing in a temple in Patan!
Besides, the Gurkha invasion of Tibet in 1855 totally exposed Chinese claims over Tibet. Even though the Qing empire did have influence upto 1792, it had evaporated by 1841 after just 49 years when the Dogras of Kashmir under Gulab Singh invaded Tibet. The Tibetan army defeated the Dogra army. Many of the defeated Dogras remained in Tibet and married Tibetan women. The Tibetan Muslims are the descendants of the vanquished Muslim army. When Tibet was occupied by communist China, the Indian and Chinese Government agreed to repatriate the Tibetan Muslims in Tibet and they were sent to Kashmir where their ancestors originally came from. They were not regarded as Tibetan refugees but as Indian citizens. By the time of Dogra invasion of Tibet in 1841, Qing China had no role to play in Tibet and was a mere bystander! It’s power had waned and hence exerted no influence in Tibet. In 1855, the Gurkhas under Jung Bahadur invaded Tibet and Tibetans fought against the Gurkhas. Tibet sought no help from any quarter and discarded all semblance of Chinese connection to prove its independence. The Gurkhas exacted many privileges in Tibet and both Nepal and Tibet freed themselves from any influence from China as the preamble to the treaty clearly states, BY OUR OWN FREE WILL signed as independent of any foreign influence on their accord!
Therefore, the current Nepalese Government is only doing the bidding of the Chinese communists in order to curry favour from them. They hardly have any choice. They are poor and weak and is dependent on the charity of the Chinese and Indians. Therefore, they will naturally support the highest bidder!
Nepal government reiterated what Samdhong lama and Penpa Tsering led exile government in dharamsala believes.
If Tibet and Taiwan are legally part of Communist Party government, she does not need One China Policy and bribe small country like Nepal’s corrupted leaders to stay valuable accomplice. The legitimate government of India and Japan do not have One India or One Japan policy because they did not illegally occupied any neighbouring territories.