International
China-Nepal love affair
The deepening of ties between Kathmandu and Beijing is a serious setback for New Delhi . China scored one more goal but it ’ s difficult to say how far this story will continue
� Claude Arpi
In politics , there is little difference between love and sycophancy — the case of Nepal is particularly telling . The social media was recently buzzing with news that some Tibetans had protested “ against an utterly ridiculous demand from Nepal ’ s China sycophant politicians to ban the use of the khata , the traditional Tibetan white scarf , because it was hurting the feelings of the Chinese people .” Whether true or not , the sensitivity of “ hurting the feelings of the Chinese people ” is nowadays prevalent all over the world with Nepali politicians at the vanguard of the
24 Legacy India | June 2019 movement . The “ love ” has increased further after Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari spent nine days in China on a State visit . The invitation had come from Chinese President Xi Jinping himself . The first part of the visit coincided with the Second Belt and Road Forum in Beijing on April 27 . President Bhandari held high-level meetings with the top Chinese leadership ; they “ exchanged substantive views on further strengthening and consolidating the ties of co-operative friendship and mutually beneficial partnership subsisting between the two countries ,” according to an official communique .
More importantly , the Himalayan nation signed seven agreements with its giant northern neighbour ; it included a protocol for an Agreement on Transit Transport ; an accord on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters and one on strengthening assistance and cooperation in the field of livelihood in the Northern Region of Nepal ( ie the border with Tibet ).
The ruling Nepal Communist Party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal , alias Prachanda , was
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