Nepal leaders take dig at ‘meddling’ India, praise China’s ‘neutrality’

[TaiShang]

Nepal leaders take dig at ‘meddling’ India, praise China’s ‘neutrality’ - The Hindu

Senior leaders from the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML on Friday criticised “foreign interference” in Nepal’s Constitution-drafting process, while praising China for her “neutrality”.

“At present, some of the neighbours are giving us unsolicited advice on Constitution-drafting,” said former Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal. “But China has not tried to dictate terms here, so I to want express special thanks to her.”

Speaking at a function in Kathmandu, Mr. Khanal, also ex-chairman of the CPN-UML, urged the international community “not to interfere in Nepal’s internal matters”.

In recent times, a section of national media carried reports of some ambassadors, including India’s, trying to delay the proceedings in the Constituent Assembly (CA), particularly formation of a proposal drafting committee to prepare questionnaire on disputes over the new statute.

Similarly, vice-president of the Nepali Congress, Ram Chandra Paudel, criticised foreign powers’ recommendation on forging consensus on Constitution. “Do the countries, which are advising us, take all their decisions by consensus?” asked the NC leader.

Both Mr. Khanal and Mr. Paudel said their parties would strive for consensus on the statute drafting, but said all-round consensus was not possible. “We will try for maximum consensus but if that is not possible, we will go for acceptable level, which is two-thirds majority”, the ex-PM said.

The ruling parties have more than the required two-thirds majority in the CA to pass the provisions in the new Constitution. The opposition has rejected drafting the Constitution through majority voting provision, demanding “consensus-only” approach.

 

[The enlightened]

Suck it

 

[Keel]

Hope that's the beginning of wake up calls for our Nepalese brothers and it is never too late to know China is the partner of choice to rebuild and improve their lives in an eye blink

 

[farhan_9909]

I can feel for the poor people of Nepal for having a land border india.

May be like us,God also hated Nepalese for having land border with india

 

[Huaren]

This is old news, Nepal always had high distrust for india (for good reason).

 

[Huaren]

Expected commie crap.......maybe some random Nepali living in India would beat these leaders for saying this.

"The Hindu" is giving out expected commie crap now?

 

[Roybot]

"The Hindu" is giving out expected commie crap now?

Well the Hindu is left leaning newspaper, and its known for its pro Chinese pro Communist stance.

 

[j20dragon]

Indian bully little Nepal. What else is new? Everyone knows India love to brag and accuse other of being a bully when they, themselves, are the biggest bully in their own backyard. LOLOL

 

[singh sahab]

Indian bully little Nepal. What else is new? Everyone knows India love to brag and accuse other of being a bully when they, themselves, are the biggest bully in their own backyard. LOLOL

You know you do not make sense at all. Please use your native language if your English comprehension skills are so weak. Save us from complex Chin-glish rant. We would use Google translate.

Dude, Little Nepal? Wth does that mean? You are using word "little' as a derogatory remark for a nation.

 

[he-man]

Senior leaders from the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML

 

[SrNair]

Of course.We have huge cultural connection with our Nepal brothrs.CPN have Maoists and commies lineage and undr the payroll of CCP.But that wont change anything.

 

[A$HU]

If you really have so much problem. Please call back your security guards. We can do without them.

 

[Bang Galore]

May be like us,God also hated Nepalese for having land border with india

True. He/she doesn't like anyone messing about with his/her favourite people.

Move on.

 

[TaiShang]

Looming China

2015-01-31

There was no direct relation between Nepal and China until the middle of last century because of the presence of Tibet as a buffer state between the two countries. But the situation took a new turn after the inroads of China into Tibet in 1950. In the emerging situation, Nepal and China established diplomatic relation for the first time in 1955. During last six decades, China has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in economic and even political spheres in Nepal. This is not a small achievement in light of the fact that the border between the two countries is closed and there is asymmetry in political system, language, culture and way of life among the two peoples.

However, there is a growing perception in India that China is trying to minimize its hold in Nepal and that its security interests are overlooked in this country. Recently, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi’s announced five-fold increase in official Chinese aid to Nepal, from present level of US$ 24 million to US $128 million by 2015-16, which supports this view. Also, the Chinese have shown fresh interest in investing US$ 1.6 billion in 750 MW power project over Seti River in Western Nepal. In doing so China has surpassed Indian commitment of soft loan to Nepal amounting to US $ 1 billion during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to this country in 2014.

Moreover, China signed Memorandum of Understanding with Nepal to provide US $1.63 million annually from 2014 to 2018 for the development of Nepal’s northern districts bordering Tibet. The impression is that the fund would be spent on small scale projects in health, education and roads in 15 districts in northern Nepal. But the hidden motive of this is to check the infiltration of Tibetans into Nepali territory. For this China is ready to provide training to officers of Nepal’s Armed Police Force. It also aims to counter India’s small grant projects in various parts of the country.

In investment sector, India remained undisputedly the largest investor in Nepal until recently, but now China’s investment in Nepal is three times the Indian investment. China has broken India’s traditional hold in investment in Nepal, which covers diverse sectors like power, noodle manufacturing and meat processing.

Nepal’s trade with India has been reduced to 53 percent, from 60 percent a year ago. The Syaphrubesi-Rasuwa Gadhi road is expected to be used to increase the volume of trade between the two countries. China has constructed Kyirong Rasuwa land port and opened it on December 1, 2014. Local markets are already flooded with Chinese goods. So much so that even the idols of different Hindu Gods and Goddesses that were once sourced from India are now imported from China. As Nepal’s capacity to use Chinese goods is limited, they are easily smuggled to India, given the porous Indo-Nepal border.

According to Asian Development Bank, China plans to enhance trade with Nepal to the level of US $30 billion by 2025. China’s effort to extend 253-km Lhasa-Shigatse section of Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Kyirong along the Nepal-Tibet border is a step in this direction. China would want to bring its train closer to Nepal-Tibet border in the near future. Chinese railway teams have, apparently, completed surveys for extension of this railway to Kathmandu and further to Lumbini, which is just 25 km from Indo-Nepal border. India is apprehensive that Chinese workers engaged in railway project in Nepal could have ulterior motives.

China’s growing interest in SAARC is also guided by its desire to use Nepal as a bridge between China and India, or between China and the entire South Asian region for trade and other activities. This is one reason China is not content just to stay in SAARC in the capacity of an observer. It wants strong presence in South Asia so that it could challenge India’s leadership in this group and benefit from its resources. The development potential of South Asia, one of the fast growing regions in the world, is well established despite the fact that it is inhabited by two-fifth of world’s poor and has only three percent share in global output and two percent share in world’s total exports.

Among South Asian countries, India is likely to emerge as third largest country in global consumption by 2020, which is mainly on account of rampant growth in its middle-class population. Currently, India is world’s third largest consumer next only to the US and China. But it is likely to have biggest share in global consumption by 2030.

To weaken India’s dominance in South Asia, China has been wooing even smaller countries like Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal, apart from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The Chinese President paid a visit to The Maldives in 2014 and he is likely to visit Nepal this year. Growing influence of China on Sushil Koirala government is evident. It was on Chinese pressure that the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Janakpur, Muktinath and Lumbini was cancelled. It was feared that Modi could influence common mass of Nepalis. If this was not enough, some influential ministers in Koirala government along with those associated with pro-monarchical regime advocated full membership of China during SAARC Summit in November 2014 knowing well that this could embarrass India.

China has offered support of US $1.63 million per year to SAARC till 2018. In the previous SAARC Summit in Maldives in 2011, it distributed bags with the slogan “China-SAARC friendship”. In 2005, King Gyanendra advocated China’s observer status during the Dhaka summit to the great embarrassment of India. At a time Beijing opposed India’s demand to rise from its current observer status in Shanghai Cooperation outright, Chinese membership of SAARC is certainly not in India’s interest.

At the political level, Chinese NGOs like the Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation (APECF) and the International Ecological Safety Collaborative Organization (IESCO) have been lobbying influential leaders of major parties. Besides, China Study Centers have been operating in regions close to Indian border in Nepal; and they are understood to be involved in anti-Indian propaganda by using Nepali FM stations and other means.

New Delhi could be perturbed at such a blatant challenge on India’s interests in Nepal. Chinese infiltration in the country’s social, cultural, political, and economic and security spheres could be a major source of worry for the southern neighbor. Unfortunately, the government and political leaderships are not aware of Indian sensitivities. Given its comparative advantage in Nepal, India might want to do more to secure its interests in Nepal. But this could invite further rivalry and even conflict between India and China in Nepal, which could prove disastrous for this country.

The author is Executive Director of Center for Economic and Technical Studies

 

[DragonEmpire]

Siddhartha Gautama was born in Nepal. Nepal is China's ancient teacher! Of course the honorable student will save his teacher from the evil filthy perverted arrogant bully of South Asia!

Once our railway links to Nepal, we can send main battle tanks to the South Asia plains. Nothing can stop us from rolling into New Delhi!