China strengthens hold on Nepal, comes to India's doorstep

[amoy]

2011-06-24 ( cited from dnaindia.com by Jayadeva Ranade) -- A series of recent events reveal that China's geo-strategic policy has Nepal firmly in its cross-hairs and is determined to bring it definitively under its influence. China has now recommended a proposal with potentially far reaching implications, especially for India. Intended to achieve multiple objectives, it retains the focus on Nepal while seeking to neutralise Tibetan activism, undermine the Dalai Lama's influence, including in Nepal, consolidate China's political and economic influence in Nepal, and help China achieve its long-term strategic goal of bringing Nepal irrevocably under its influence. Success in the last two means that China will have crossed the Himalayas and established its influence up to the lower foothills bordering India.

When the Chief of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) visited Kathmandu this April, he signed a USD 19.8 million defence agreement directly with Nepal's Army, ignoring the protestations of Nepal's Ministry of Defence. Following the visit, the Beijing-based and supported Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation has now proposed a $3 billion Development Plan for Buddha's birthplace, Lumbini, ostensibly 'with no strings attached'. Beijing, which for the first time in 2006 officially described Buddhism as a peaceful 'ancient Chinese religion' and has held two World Buddhist Forums, apparently continues to seek legitimacy from the Buddhists.

Composition of the board of the Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation hints strongly at Party and PLA links. Nepal's Maoist leader Prachanda, is the Foundation's Vice Chairman has attended two of its events in Malaysia and Singapore in October 2010 and March 2011 respectively. He claims a major role in getting China's support for this project. Xiao Wunan, a senior Chinese Communist Party cadre who is Deputy Director of an office of China's National Development and Reform Commission in Western China, is Executive Vice President of the Foundation. He is also Vice President of the World Buddhist Peace Foundation, which helps organise the Beijing-sponsored World Buddhist Forums, and was formerly Vice President of the editorial board of the journal Study on Maoism. The Executive Director of this Foundation is Eric Tay, who graduated in 1993 from China's Air Force Institute of Engineering. He owns companies in Beijing and Shenzhen which invest in commodities and energy resources.

This cheque-book diplomacy by Beijing reinforces earlier road and rail projects linking Lhasa with Kathmandu and promises a huge cash infusion to a country with a GDP of barely USD 12.5 billion. Plans envisage construction of temples, an airport, a highway, hotels, convention centres and a Buddhist University. Expectations are that Lumbini, which presently attracts 5,00,000 tourists annually and is just a two hours drive from India's Gorakhpur, will become a trans-border tourist attraction spawning numerous ancillary service enterprises, generating a steady revenue stream. Xiao Wunan has said he hopes the Lumbini project brings together all three Buddhist Traditions, namely Mahayana, Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada. The proposed university will rival the one planned at Nalanda. Unstated is that these construction projects will be awarded to Chinese companies and probably PLA-affiliated sub-contractors, or engineering personnel will be employed. This implies long term Chinese presence, and going by the experience of many countries in Africa, the mushrooming of illegal Chinese settlements along Nepal's borders with India.

This $3 billion overture to Kathmandu is, interestingly, accompanied by Beijing's apparent decision to shed its earlier aversion to non-formal contacts with prominent Tibetans and Tibetan entities. This subtle, but significant, shift was noticed during Governor of Sichuan, Jiang Jufeng's 3-day visit to India this April. Jiang Jufeng met privately with Dolkar Lhamo Kirti, President of the Tibetan Women's Association (TWA) and Samten Choedon, TWA's Vice President, at the Maurya Sheraton Hotel, Delhi. They discussed the protests in Kirti Monastery where 300 monks are in jail since March 16. Accepting their petition, Jiang Jufeng assured the matter would be examined.
This is the first time a visiting senior Chinese official privately met exiled Tibetans in India. It could be a tactic to divide the exiled Tibetan community, or an attempt by both sides to find new methods at accommodation. The latter is suggested by the Tibetan community's failure to stage routinely organised protests during the visit of former hardline Tibet Party Secretary, Zhang Qingli, to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji this May.

The author is a former additional secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.

 

[nimo_cn]

My personal experience tells me China is beginning to have a close relation with Nepal. We just finished our graduation ceremony today, a medical student from Nepal represented all the foreign students in my university and delivered a very interesting speech during the ceremony.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

My personal experience tells me China is beginning to have a close relation with Nepal. We just finished our graduation ceremony today, a medical student from Nepal represented all the foreign students in my university and delivered a very interesting speech during the ceremony.

Ya, what did he say? He likes the Maoism you people practice?

 

[nimo_cn]

Ya, what did he say? He likes the Maoism you people practice?

Lol, why will people give speech about politics in a graduation ceremony?

By sharing my personal experience, I just want to demostrate the people to people interaction between China and Nepal is growing in recent years. I didn't see that before, it used to be the Koreans who gave the speech.

 

[niharjhatn]

Ya, what did he say? He likes the Maoism you people practice?

NAW, I think he probably likes the special treatment that Chinese reserve for Buddhists

 

[Godless-Kafir]

Lol, why will people give speech about politics in a graduation ceremony?

By sharing my personal experience, I just want to demostrate the people to people interaction between China and Nepal is growing in recent years. I didn't see that before, it used to be the Koreans who gave the speech.

There is a watch man in front of my house from Nepal, there are millions of Nepalis who work in India. They abound in our country and they even serve in our Army in the Gurkha battalion. You just had one graduate? You think all these guys will turn anti-india and come to your aid?

 

[nimo_cn]

There is a watch man in front of my house from Nepal, there are millions of Nepalis who work in India. They abound in our country and they even serve in our Army in the Gurkha battalion. You just had one graduate? You think all these guys will turn anti-india and come to your aid?

Come on, all I have said is China-Nepal relation is growing, I never denied the close bond between India and Nepal, please do not misinterpret my words.

 

[Godless-Kafir]

Come on, all I have said is China-Nepal relation is growing, I never denied the close bond between India and Nepal, please do not misinterpret my words.

Well I hope this terrible attitude between our two country ends fast. This is sick that fellow asians and more over humans must fight each other like this. All this sort of power games played by our leaders for their gains is only hurting us.

I hope your nations changes its attitude towards Indians.

 

[satish007]

There is a watch man in front of my house from Nepal, there are millions of Nepalis who work in India. They abound in our country and they even serve in our Army in the Gurkha

Gurkha soldier are best, the only reason my Avatar are not them because they are not so handsome/gentleman. Chinese soldiers are now not so good and expensive, hopefully China can hire some Gurkha and they also will accept Maoist.

 

[pankaj nema]

There are millions of Nepalis working in India and Gurkhas serve in the Indian army

ALL this is possible because Nepalis are Hindus and if push comes to shove they will align with India than China

Right now let the Chinese spend money on them .China has plenty of money

GOI is aware of ALL Chinese moves and RAW is very active in Nepal protecting Indian interests

 

[amoy]

To my surprise I learned quite a few Indians attended medical school here. Saw quite a few South Asians on campus (definitely now Pakistanis by appearance, but hard to tell if SL or BD, or IN). Maoists have more or less been demonized - overthrowing that archaic monarchy and founded a republic - Nepal needs a big dosage of radical transformation. China's aid+tourists would contribute to pulling them out of medieval age.

 

[Tshering22]

^^ Oh yeah? WELL This is where you fail to understand what Nepalis are and this is where we come in. Unlike your country where people towed alone the lines of Mao Ze Dong, Nepalis are not willing to leave their roots. Maoists are a bunch of self-ashamed slaves who are nothing but lapdogs of Communist funds that flow into their begging box. The rest of Nepal is two steps more conservative than even India in matters of culture and way of life. You could get away with being abusive to a Hindu Indian about his culture but try that with a Nepali Hindu and you'd find it really difficult to make it out in one piece.

I am not taunting you but just saying that Nepalis are very different. Majority of Nepalis are against Communists and Maoists. There are anti-Maoist and anti-Communist radical factions that despise Communism to the core and are supported by people. The reason why Nepal was not able to emerge up was not because of a lack of aid or assistance but because of their own internal politics. Don't equate their situation to that of Pakistanis.

 

[nimo_cn]

Well I hope this terrible attitude between our two country ends fast. This is sick that fellow asians and more over humans must fight each other like this. All this sort of power games played by our leaders for their gains is only hurting us.

May I remind you that Nepal, though being a country naturally close to India, is also a neighbor of China? I don't see any problem with China developing a warm relationship with a country bordering China, hardly can this move be termed as power game. We are not there to turn Nepal against India, we are just trying to make Nepal less alienated from China.

I hope your nations changes its attitude towards Indians.

China has no attitude towards Indians or whatsoever in this regard. Like I said, this is not a power game. China is not befriending Nepal for the cause of India, but for the interest of China herself. You need to understand this is not necessarily a zero-sum power game.

 

[utubekhiladi]

China is not befriending Nepal for the cause of India, but for the interest of China herself.

please highlight me with what Interest do china have with nepal

 

[asianobserve]

please highlight me with what Interest do china have with nepal

To isolate India...?

 

[nimo_cn]

To isolate India...?

please highlight me with what Interest do china have with nepal

To prevent China from being isolated by India?

 

[Ray]

please highlight me with what Interest do china have with nepal

China will reinvent history and state that the Nepalis were a long lost tribe of China!!

 

[satish007]

please highlight me with what Interest do china have with nepal

China has a lot of cheap goods, but quaility is ok.