Message Of Liu's Visit

A flurry of diplomatic activity came to pass last week. It is no wonder that when a high-ranking Chinese leader visits Nepal, top-notch Indian leaders visit Nepal or our senior leaders go to meet their counterparts in India. Such a trend in Nepali politics is a ritual now as China and India wield special clout in the region. Soon after a Chinese communist party leader, Liu Jianchao, who heads the International Liaison Department of Communist Party of China, returned after paying a four-day visit to Nepal, CPN-Maoist Centre chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ hurried to New Delhi. Political analysts see these visits as an outcome of geopolitical obligation to Nepal.

 According to Prachanda, his Indian visit was outstanding, as he held dialogues with the Indian foreign minister and chief of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on streamlining Nepal-India relations, the 1950 Treaty with India, Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG) report, border issues and Nepal’s burgeoning trade deficits with India. However, he could not meet the Indian Prime Minister despite making several attempts. Had he succeeded in seeing the Indian PM, it would have been termed as a defining moment of his three-day visit. Analysts speculated India visit by Prachanda, whose party is a key partner in the current government, was nothing but a balancing act, precipitated by geopolitical requirements. 

Conjectures

Conjectures are further rife that Indian leaders, notably the BJP chief and others, could have told him about India’s intentions regarding the current ruling alliance’s participation in the upcoming federal and provincial elections. Many say India at present wants to keep the UML at bay, the party with which India’s relations soured after its chair and then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli brought forth a new political map that comprised of Kalapani, Limpiyadhura and Lipulek areas of Darchula district.

In the meantime, Liu’s arrival and subsequent parleys with the President, PM and other top party brasses garnered much interest among many in Nepal and elsewhere. Although the Chinese leader’s exchange of views with the Nepali dignitaries focused on strengthening Nepal-China ties, the timing of his visit caught our attention. Also remarkable was his expression that Nepal, a sovereign nation, has all rights to expand its relations or sign treaties with any nation. When he made these expressions, the memory of Nepal’s agreement on the MCC Nepal Compact with the USA could have been fresh in his mind. 

Nepal will organise federal and parliamentary elections in about five months. As a traditional ally of the Nepali communists, China prefers to see these communist parties compete in elections, at least by building an electoral alliance. Many in Nepal saw Liu’s visit in this light. If the present mood in major communist parties is any sign, they will contest elections by giving continuity to the present alliance. Liu held long talks with Prachanda and Oli by visiting the Nepali communist leaders’ homes in the capital.  

The rivalry deepened among major communist parties following the split in the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) about one and half years ago. After the NCP disintegration, the UML and Prachanda-led Maoist Centre were revived. Disputes between UML chair Oli and Maoist chief Prachanda were the key reasons that led to the NCP’s split. Later, Prachanda and another breakaway UML group, the CPN-Unified Socialist, led by Madhav Kumar Nepal, forged the current ruling alliance under the leadership of the Nepali Congress. After the UML chair reneged on his promise to leave PM’s and party chair’s seats to Prachanda, China’s relationship with the UML and Oli turned sour.  

The Chinese leader also came up with a message to the Nepali government that the latter should implement the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) accord, which the Nepali side had signed in 2017, which is now in limbo. The Chinese side wants to push ahead with BRI projects in Nepal, especially in the aftermath of Nepal’s agreement on MCC with the USA. The Nepali side reportedly deflected his request to implement the BRI, stating that the county would accept grants and not loans to implement BRI projects. One should not forget that China offers loans for implementing BRI projects under soft and long-term interests, which recipients must pay in due time.

Despite all this, Liu’s Nepal sojourn became fruitful in conveying an important message to Nepal and its leaders. China, a powerful geopolitical player in the region, appears to have changed tack this time around. China has imparted importance to all Nepali political parties. Liu spoke not only with communist leaders but also with Congress and Janata Samajbadi Party’s leaders. Visiting Chinese delegates were not very forthcoming to meet and talk with Madhesi leaders. But Liu tried to send a different message during his stay.

BP recalled 

Another key point from the visiting Chinese luminary was that he communicated at length about late BP Koirala’s contributions in setting up Nepal’s diplomatic relations with China. He also talked about the role and efforts of the founder of the country’s oldest Democratic Party, the Nepali Congress, in getting China’s entry into the UN. 

Before departing, he and his delegates toured Sundarijal’s BP museum and inspected founder leader-related items and books with a lot of curiosity before offering garlands to BP’s statue. This showed that China has now come to terms with an indispensable truth — in Nepal‘s contemporary politics, the Nepali Congress has emerged as a strong player no one can overlook, not even China. The northern neighbour, therefore, needs to establish a sound relationship with NC as it has done with communist parties. In short, as a close neighbour, China seems to favour having a sound relationship with all key Nepali political players, besides communists, in the present changed context.

Given its geographical situation, which often makes it a geopolitics hotbed, Nepal has to shoulder its responsibility like a faithful neighbour. Nepal must be aware that no anti-Chinese elements carry out activities to hurt Chinese sensitivities. Winning Chinese confidence by not allowing the presence of anti-Chinese elements on her soil is what Nepal requires doing. This appears to be one of the key messages of Liu's visit, which will certainly add new dimension to Nepal-China ties.

(Upadhyay is Managing Editor of this daily)