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By P Kharel

“Activities Against China in Nepal Are Not Merely Political Dissent; They Are State Policy”.

That was the heading for a narrative carried under a Chinese name last fortnight in the Kathmandu-registered Dragon Media, which drew breathtaking attention of both the Nepalese establishment and the international community. The blast was also targeted at the United States, and to an extent, India.

The unusually harsh statement sent shivers down the spines of elements known for openly siding with foreign forces for financial gains and not for any commitment to ideological affinity. In my 40 years of observation as a regular columnist on world affairs, never have I known the scale of ire that Beijing so bluntly fired at the Nepalese establishment. The language employed is reminiscent of the 1960s and the 1970s during the last two decades of Mao Zedong at the helm of the communist state. Radio Beijing used to blast at “capitalist parasites” that “suck the blood” of “poor workers and peasants” for “profiteering” and thus awaiting their “dire consequences” the day people “rise against the shameless, heartless exploiters”.  

That anyone in a position of significance is almost invariably a member of the Communist Party of China is no secret. Ostensibly scripted by one, Pu Yu Hai, the commentary in question must have been given a go-ahead to flash the commentary with a no-holds barred barrage of choicest language of criticism. Media Dragon would not risk losing whatever access and goodwill it has with the Chinese by publishing a content that would drastically deviate from Beijing’s long cultivated image of patience and “good neighbourly” approach.

IN SUBSTANCE: Just in case the name is a false identity, the substance of the issue does not derail. The exercise is clearly an attempt at conveying the depth of concern that Beijing wants not just Nepal but the powers in the neighbourhood and beyond to understand. Let us not forget what Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Kathmandu when on a barely 24-hour “two-day” visit to Kathmandu in October 2019, the first by a Chinese head of state to this immediate neighbour in 23 years.

He took the occasion to sternly warn that any force conspiring to split China would be “crushed”. He was obviously referring to Tibet and that any government overstepping a one-China policy would be meted out a fitting response. 

Unambiguously, Nepal’s giant neighbour up north has lost its traditional cool and decided to vent its ire in such harsh manner after all these decades, not employed against Nepal even during the infamous Cultural revolution. Kyabje Jonang Gyaltsab Rinpoche’s visit and reception in Kathmandu on January 29 has ignited its long-suppressed wrath. Rinpoche is a special representative of the Dali Lama, patron of the Tibetan government-in-exile based in India. The commentary blast at the “direct attack on China’s core national interest—its territorial integrity”.

A gist of the unrestricted outrage includes warnings and wish list stressing “era of duplicitous policy is over”, “your next move will determine your legacy and the fate of the nation”, “dismantle every Tibetan separatist office operating in  Nepal”, political parties’ “anti-China elements”, “history of cooperation with foreign militaries involved in destablising  China”, serving “as a base for foreign intelligence operations against” China, the dubious role of Nepal’s intelligence agencies” against China is an open secret”, “strict audits and expulsions of foreign NGOs engaged in political subversion”, and “China will employ its full diplomatic and strategic wight to safeguard its core interests”. As an emphasis on its serious warning, it concludes: “China’s patience has run out”.

BODES ILL: Quite a loaded mouthful from a newly emerged superpower, known for excessive subtility since the mid-1970s, using words carefully, sparingly and with considerable restraint. The Chinese seem to throw the bathwater and the baby in the tub too by knowingly lumping the decades when monarchy was at the helm of state powers in Nepal, with the political changes since the spring of 1990, when multiparty system was rolled back. 

In one line, the tone is filled with “I gave you so much and you responded with backstabbing”. Even if one-sided, it does not bode well for a China-India locked least developed nation that was once the most proactive nonaligned nation in South Asia.

Such lambast with angry abandon against a nation where highly corrupt leaders continue ruling the roost in many ways with impunity has fuelled wild speculations and rumours. However, Beijing does have a few specific points not way off the mark. China-associated projects and successful tender bids are boycotted or scrapped.

“Nepali citizenship to Tibetan refugees” and elements accusing China of encroaching upon Nepalese territory seem to have angered Beijing. Tibetans are said to have been given citizenship even as Western governments continue pressurising Nepal to allow easy access to Tibetan refugees coming through any route in Central Asia.

PUNISHING ACTIVITY:China’s President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Project is taking ages to pace ahead. Oli made a modest move for inching Belt and Road Initiative cooperation but that alienated him from New Delhi as well as Washington. Actually, he leads a party alienated from all independent forces and new youth faces in Gagan Thapa-led Nepali Congress and Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s Maoist party.

Indian imposed sanctions against Nepal twice in the 1960s, once in 1989-90 for 14 months and once shortly after the massive earthquake in 2015 when the then Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar arrived with an intimidating proposal to incorporate provisions in the impending new constitution that suited India’s long-interests of consolidating its position in Nepal.

Then Beijing and New Delhi unilaterally agreed to developing an economic corridor passing through Nepalese territory. A shocked former Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista, known to appreciate Chinese assistance to Nepal and absence of border dispute between the two countries, expressed deep regret that Beijing clasped Delhi’s hands that claims Nepal’s territory.

The opinion piece is, carried in the Dragon Media, is not intended to be a precocious comment but a punishing reminder that Beijing will not watch and wait any longer for its perception of growing anti-China activities from its next-door neighbour. For leaders of major political parties, the period since September has been a world gone topsy-turvy, as their images have nosedived, organisational strength in tatters and history is unlikely to be kind to them.ai, the commentary in question must have been given a go-ahead to flash the commentary with a no-holds barred barrage of choicest language of criticism. Media Dragon would not risk lose whatever access and goodwill it has with the Chinese by publishing a content that would drastically deviate from Beijing’s long cultivated image of patience and “good neighbourly” approach.

IN SUBSTANCE: Just in case the name is a false identity, the substance of the issue does not derail. The exercise is clearly an attempt at conveying the depth of concern that Beijing wants not just Nepal but the powers in the neighbourhood and beyond to understand. Let us not forget what Chinese President Xi Jinping said in Kathmandu when on a barely 24-hour “two-day” visit to Kathmandu in October 2019, the first by a Chinese head of state to this immediate neighbour in 23 years.

He took the occasion to sternly warn that any force conspiring to split China would be “crushed”. He was obviously referring to Tibet and that any government overstepping a one-China policy would be meted out a fitting response. 

Unambiguously, Nepal’s giant neighbour up north has lost its traditional cool and decided to vent its ire in such harsh manner after all these decades, not employed against Nepal even during the infamous Cultural Revolution. Rimpoche’s visit and reception in Kathmandu on January 29 has ignited its long-suppressed wrath. The commentary blast at the “direct attack on China’s core national interest—its territorial integrity”.

A gist of the unrestricted outrage includes warnings and wish list stressing “era of duplicitous policy is over”, “your next move will determine your legacy and the fate of the nation”, “dismantle every Tibetan separatist office operating in  Nepal”, political parties’ “anti-China elements”, “history of cooperation with foreign militaries involved in destablising  China”, serving “as a base for foreign intelligence operations against” China, the dubious role of Nepal’s intelligence agencies” against China is an open secret”, “strict audits and expulsions of foreign NGOs engaged in political subversion”, and “China will employ its full diplomatic and strategic wight to safeguard its core interests”. As an emphasis on its serious warning, it concludes: “China’s patience has run out”.

BODES ILL: Quite a loaded mouthful from a newly emerged superpower, known for excessive subtility since the mid-1970s, using words carefully, sparingly and with considerable restraint. The Chinese seem to throw the bathwater and the baby in the tub too by knowingly lumping the decades when monarchy was at the helm of state powers in Nepal, with the political changes since the spring of 1990, when multiparty system was rolled back. 

In one line, the tone is filled with “I gave you so much and you responded with backstabbing”. Even if one-sided, it does not bode well for a China-India locked least developed nation that was once the most proactive nonaligned nation in South Asia.

Such lambast with angry abandon against a nation where highly corrupt leaders continue ruling the roost in many ways with impunity has fuelled wild speculations and rumours. However, Beijing does have a few specific points not way off the mark. China-associated projects and successful tender bids are boycotted or scrapped.

“Nepali citizenship to Tibetan refugees” and elements accusing China of encroaching upon Nepalese territory. Tibetans are said to have been given citizenship and Western governments pressurising Nepal to allow easy access to Tibetan refugees coming through any route in Central Asia.

PUNISHING ACTIVITY: China’s President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Project is taking ages to pace ahead. Oli made a modest move for inching Belt and Road Initiative cooperation but that alienated him from New Delhi as well as Washington. Actually, he leads a party alienated from all independent forces and new youth faces in Gagan Thapa-led Nepali Congress and Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s Maoist party.

Twice in the 1960s, once in 1989-90 for 14 months and once shortly after the massive earthquake in 2015 when the then Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar arrived with an intimidating proposal to incorporate provisions in the impending new constitution that suited India’s long-interests of consolidating its position in Nepal.

Then Beijing and New Delhi unilaterally agreed to developing an economic corridor passing through Nepalese territory. A shocked former Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista, known to appreciate Chinese assistance to Nepal and absence of border dispute between the two countries, expressed deep regret that Beijing clasped Delhi’s hands that claims Nepal’s territory.

The opinion piece is, carried in the Dragon Media, is not intended to be a precocious comment but a punishing reminder that Beijing will not watch and wait any longer for its perception of growing anti-China activities from its next-door neighbour. For leaders of major political parties, the period since September has been a world gone topsy-turvy, as their images have nosedived, organisational strength in tatters and history is unlikely to be kind to them.