“I stand ready to work with you to build on the work of our predecessors and break new ground to strive for the settlement of the China-India boundary question and to make greater progress in the China India strategic an cooperative partnership in the new period,” newly appointed Chinese special representative Yang Jiechi said.

Former foreign minister Yang, who took over from the long-standing Chinese special representative Dai Bingguo, welcomed his Indian counterpart NSA Shivshankar Menon, saying “the two special representatives have a lofty mission and heavy responsibilities”.

This is the first meeting of the border talks after the new leadership took over in China in March.

India asserts that the dispute covered about 4,000 km, while China claims that it confined to about 2,000 km to the area of Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers as Southern Tibet.

“First of all let me warmly welcome you to come to China for the 16th round of the special representatives meeting on the China-India boundary question,” he said, stating that “over the years you have made important contribution to the growth of China-India relations in various capacities.”

“You and I have known each other for a long time. We are very familiar with each other and established a good working relationship and personal friendship,” Yang said. He also complimented Dai for the work done in the last decade.

Yang recalled the recent visit of Premier Li Keqiang to India stating that it was an important event coming after the meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chinese PresidentXi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Durban in March.

Li’s visit “injected fresh and strong momentum into the further development of our bilateral relationship,” he said.

“The China-India relationship has developed good momentum of development. The special representatives meeting is an important exchange and cooperation mechanism between our two countries,” he said.

Nepal’s senior communist leader Puspa Kamal Dahal aka “Prachanda’ is flying to Beijing on Sunday on official invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping with a five member delegation.

Speaking to a select few journalist on the eve of his visit on Saturday, Prachanda said that his visit will aim to bring China and India together on developing Nepal. ” The trend of instigating one neighbor towards another should be stopped. Nepal can benefit from its both neighbors, only if we work closely with each other,” Prachanda said echoing the statement of his deputy Baburam Bhattarai.

Bhattarai had proposed that Nepal act as a bridge between both nations when the Chinese Prime Minister had visited Nepal last January.

Elaborating on his visit, Prachanda laid stress on the need to garner support from neighboring nations to hold Constituent Assembly elections and said that his visit will focus on garnering economic support from China.

“Discussions will be held on political issues, but politics are Nepal’s internal affairs. So, my visit will basically center on economic cooperation,” Prachanda said elaborating that extension of Chinese railway till Kathmandu, extension of ports between China and Nepal, transformation of Kathmandu into a metro city and development of herbs will highlight the discussion.

On the occasion, Prachanda clarified that he is visiting China as the Coordinator of the High Level Political Mechanism that presently governs the Interim Election Council and added that he represents the interests of all political parties and the government.

He said that the agenda of his meetings have been endorsed by major political party leaders and the interim cabinet.

In China Prachanda is scheduled to address a conference of Nepal and Chinese intellectuals in Chengdu on the first day and than head to Beijing where he will hold consultations with Chinese President, Prime Minister among other influential Chinese leaders.

After that Prachanda will visit Chinese industrial cities and than head to Hong Kong from where he will return back home.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s politicians have always tried to balance their ties with both of its giant southern and northern neighbors but so far no one has succeeded, at least with tangible results. The erstwhile Maoist Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had also put a lot of efforts to visit China as officiating Prime Minister, but appointment with the Chinese President was available for him only in June. But, his party’s supremo, Puspa Kamal Dahal seems to be luckier than him. He is rumored to get the opportunity to hold dialogue with Xi Jinping.

A vernacular Nepali weekly news portal while confirming the report about Dahal’s, who is more famous for his war time name “Prachanda”, visit to China on April 14 claimed that the visit has been sponsored by the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu.

The visit is seen with importance due to two factors that are attached with Prachanda’s own and his party’s political ambition and China’s renewed interest in its neighborhood – especially Nepal which still remains a playground for the western powers for ‘upsetting’ Tibetan issue.

The recent formation of the Chief Justice led Interim Electoral Cabinet (IEC) in Nepal marked a new phase of transition. With various issues related with the constitution drafting still unsettled, instability across the nation, is predicted more than it was during the early CA elections. Scores of ethnic and regionalist groups’ demands for a ethnic/regional federal states have not been addressed or managed. An unstable neighborhood is never in the interest of a nation, that is trying hard to subside its own secessionist groups.

If the formation of federal states is carried out on the basis of ethnicity or ‘unitary ethnic identity’ as demanded by some recently formed ethnic-based and regional-based politics forces in Nepal, it is sure to be creating more hurdles for the neighbors- who are finding it hard to have their concerns addressed even with a centralized government in the present stage.

Prachanda comes into picture at this very moment. As the person who brought Nepal to this present stage- through bloodshed and later through peaceful politics- he is presently one of the mostly looked after political strategist that the nation has. With China adopting a more close-neighborhood policy, as announced by Jinping himself, Prachanda’s tour seems significant, though the dialogue between the duo still remains unconfirmed.

Apart from the China factor, the visit is certain to add some muscles to his party’s standing among the major political parties. In the recent time, relationship of Nepal’s older parties like the Nepali Congress and CPN UML’s communication with Indian centers has remained unhealthy. This was ascertained when the Maoist led Bhattarai government continued ruling even though NC President Koirala and UML’s Oli had communicated their willingness to take the reins. With Bhattarai cherishing support from Delhi, Prachanda’s visit might win the UCPN Maoist support from Beijing.

These confluence of support to Prachanda’s party will be a substantial threat to the claims of NC and UML, who are presently focused on strengthening their electoral standing by campaigning across the nation. If Prachanda meets Jingping, than he will one of the leader from South Asian nations to hold talks in the great hall. Adding to it, if the dialogue remain substantial, it will surely boost his party’s electoral campaign that aims to win a majority in the upcoming CA.

Lack of two third majority of any of the political parties and polarization leading to confrontation between the major forces had obliterated the earlier endeavor to draft the constitution. With preparations to forge alliance with the Madhesh-centric parties, Prachanda has hopes to remain a dominant force in the next CA too. This visit might just provide him the stamina to sustain his aspirations.

Family Politics!

Besides Prachanda and his party’s claims that he will be holding dialogue with China’s President, his family politics is also surprisingly attached with this trip and shocking too, to some extent. The Maoist supremo will be heading to China with his wife and his recently India-returned son Prakash Dahal. Though Prakash was absconding from the nation and from Prachanda’s sight after he eloped with party co-cadre, he has recently returned home. And Prachanda has nullified all disciplinary actions taken by the party against him and has paved way for his son to accompany him to the Great Hall. The news report claimed that Prachanda has denied not to take any of the senior leaders of the party with him citing secrecy reasons.

KATHMANDU: The Chinese embassy in Kathmandu recently submitted a diplomatic note to Nepal’s foreign minister over the self immolation carried out by a Tibetan monk in Kathmandu.

The note has reminded Nepal’s Maoist government of its commitment to One-China policy and its subsequent commitment to control Free-Tibet activities in Nepali soil.

The note was submitted following the self-immolation and subsequent death of a Tibetan monk identified as Thundup Dopchen in Kathmandu recently.

In the diplomatic note, Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Yang Houlan has said, ” Nepal is firm with its commitment to one-china policy and I am confident it can avert this kind of incidences in the future,” the Kanatipur Dainik quoted on Tuesday.

“The self immolation incident of Boudha has become an issue of public interest. As an incident that is against the spirit of the Buddhist philosophy, it should be taken seriously,” the report quoted the envoy further.

Nepal is home to around 30 thousand Tibetan refugees scattered around the nation and though time and again there have been Free Tibet movement in Nepal, self immolation by Dopchen was the first ever in Nepal.
The report has claimed that Dopchen had arrived in Kathmandu from Sinchuan province of China with a plan to self immolate on March 10- the day marked as Tibet’s Independence day. However, he had self immolated him by brushing aside the plan that Nepal’s intel was able to gather.

Following the incidence, Nepal has tightened flow of Tibetans via all transits including Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk, Tatopani among others have been tightened.

KATHMANDU: While the nation has one China policy as the bed rock of its bilateral relationship with China, two Nepali human rights activists have been openly assisting the Free Tibetan Movement.

The movement backed by the Western nations has been a major threat to the Chinese side and consecutive Nepali government since the monarchy era have opposed to allow the use of Nepali soil to be used against its Northern neighbor.

However, Nepal Human Rights Organization President Sudeep Pathak and Kapil Shrestha have a different opinion on the issue that propels them to participate movement’s actitivities in Nepal.

Nepali vernacular national daily, The Saurya Dainik, reported that though Pathak had earlier denied any involvment in the movement, he recently agreed to it when the newspaper produced an image that pictured him participating in a meeting with the Free Tibet Movement activists.

” I am not related to the Tibetan refugees therefore there is no chance of participating in their meetings,” Pathak was quoted saying earlier to the newspaper while challenging to produce evidence if otherwise.

But he changed his statement as soon as the newspaper produced the image.

I am a pacifist. I will participate in any program that is related to pacifism.Like the sunshine, the world is aware of that,

Pathak was quoted.

Pathak’s claims that the movement has been pacifist is however controversial given the self-immolation trend taken by the Tibetan refugees. Recently a Tibetan Refugee had self immolated in the center of Kathmandu.

However another human rights activist Shrestha did not bother to conceal his participation in the movement. Shreshtha said,

Its my duty to participate in any program that is related to human rights. If the Chinese government had not violated human rights, then why would hundreds of Tibetan self immolate?”Shrestha said adding, “some of Chinese agents can object to my allegiance, but i don’t care about them.”

Quoting anonymous sources, the newspaper further reported that both Pathak and Shrestha receive massive funds from India based Potala monastery sourced from the United States.

Adding to it, the duo has also been reported to have been in regular contact with Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama.

KATHMANDU: Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Yang Houlan has asserted that a stable and prosperous Nepal is in the best interest of China and India.

Speaking at the Reporters Club Nepal’s face-to-face program on Friday, Houlan informed that both China and India have been in constant communication over Nepal issues.

“China has more cooperation with India on Nepal affairs. It is good for our three countries”, said Houlan at the program presided by Reporters Club Nepal’s President Rishi Dhamala.

Dispelling reports that China and Indian interests in Nepal were conflicting, envoy Houlan said, “In Nepal we support and trust each other” and added that trilateral cooperation between Nepal, China and India is beneficial for regional stability.

“China and India have been good neighbors and partners in regional and internal affairs,” Houlan said stressing on the mutual bilateral ties between New Delhi and Beijing.

While refuting any Chinese investments in the Southern plains of Nepal that would harm India, as reported by some Indian media, Houlan said that present Chinese development initiatives, including a hospital in Chitwan, is aimed at Nepal’s development.

“China’s involvement in Nepal is limited to support Nepal’s economic and social development and I think Nepal’s economic development is also in the interest of India,” Houlan said.

The Chinese ambassador said that China looked forward to increase communication with India on Nepal to support the latter’s development initiatives.

“Our prime minister during his recent visit to Nepal has said that we support Nepal’s relationship and cooperation with India while respecting Nepal’s sovereignty,” the envoy said.

Referring to journalist’s queries on Free Tibet Movement in Nepal and INGOs behind the movement, the Houlan said, “Some forces are using the Free Tibet Movement to check China’s development and stability.”

Conceding that the Nepal’s government might be facing pressure from these forces to act against China’s stability concerns, envoy Houlan lauded the role of Nepalese government and people in deterring these forces.
“The Nepalese government and people understand our concerns and know how to deal with those forces,” said Houlan adding, “ We have no problem in this regard.”

In a different context, the Chinese ambassador refuted claims that China had a take on the ongoing political confrontation between the Presidency and government in Nepal.
While denying that China favored any of these sides, Houlan said that Nepalese people and Nepal’s political parties are capable of choosing the best option for them.

However, the envoy stressed Nepal should resolve political status quo at the earliest through negotiations and dialogues and shift focus on economic and social development from political disputes.

Terming ongoing political status quo as unfortunate for Nepal’s development, the envoy expressed Beijing’s optimism that the Nepalese people will resolve it effectively by devising their own strategy.

Exemplifying China’s cultural revolution in the 70’s of the erstwhile century, Houlan expressed the belief that Nepal will also move towards development from the present crisis.

Responding to queries on China’s new leadership’s foreign policy, ambassador Houlan said that the new leadership would continue the nation’s non-interference policy in other nation’s internal affairs.

Stating that China will continue its initiative for a prosperous, peaceful and ecologically friendly world, Houlan said Nepal would continue as one of the priorities in the days ahead too.

Speaking on the occasion, Club’s President Rishi Dhamala lauded China’s cooperation in Nepal and the role played by Houlan in fostering bilateral ties between China and Nepal and bridging relationship with India too.