China’s prosperity offers development opportunities for Nepal: Experts

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Nov. 9: Experts on international relations have emphasized taking advantage of China’s development and grabbing opportunities provided by the 20^th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

They said Nepal should stand ready to receive offers provided by the northern neighbours.

Speaking at an interaction programme entitled China’s Road to Prosperity and Development Opportunities for Nepal organized by the Nepal-China Friendship Forum, former Chairman of the Council Of Ministers and Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi viewed that Nepal should learn to build state capacity to mobilise resources for the development of the country.

“Nepal should also learn from China’s grand success in poverty eradication,” he said while expressing congratulations and best wishes to the newly elected CPC officials.

Referring to cultural exchanges between the two countries and the way Nepali artisan Araniko’s statue is built in Beijing and the way White Pagoda is there, Regmi termed Nepal-China relations as special in itself.

Wang Xin, Charge D’Affairs of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nepal, said that the CPC Congress has also emphasized further cooperation with the neighbours for the development of the region.

“China is willing to work with Nepal to further strengthen policy coordination, connectivity of infrastructure, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties, continue to provide assistance to the best of our ability for Nepal's economic and social development and improvement of people's livelihood, work together to build a China-Nepal community with a shared future, and promote the Strategic Partnership of Cooperation Featuring Ever-lasting Friendship for Development and Prosperity between China and Nepal to a new level,” he said. 

He also said, “The 20th CPC National Congress means new opportunities and new impetus for Nepal. China adheres to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in pursuing friendship and cooperation with other countries, committed to promoting a new type of international relations, deepening and expanding global partnerships based on equality, openness, and cooperation, and broadening the convergence of interests with other countries. Acting on the principles of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness and the policy of forging friendships and partnerships with its neighbors, China strives to enhance friendly ties, mutual trust, and converging interests with its neighboring countries. Nepal is China's friendly neighbor and occupies an important position in its neighboring diplomacy. China will continue to firmly support Nepal's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, explore a development path in line with its national conditions, improve Nepali people's lives, and revitalize the nation”.

Dr. Khagendra Prasai, associate professor of political science, Nepal Open University, viewed that Nepal should stick to its independent foreign policy more strongly to reap benefits from China’s success.

“We have to understand that Nepal is strategically important for western powers such as the US to encircle China, and we should be cautious not to be prey to the US policy which will jeopardize our nationality,” Dr. Prasai said referring to why he was against endorsing the MCC.

Dr. Uddhab Pyakurel, acting director of Global Management Division, Kathmandu University, made it a point that Nepal should give priority to developing bordering areas with China, particularly border points, by means of road and communication connectivity so that there can be growth in trade.

He said China’s development should inspire Nepal to adopt a democracy with Nepali characteristics.

Shyam Shrestha, former CA member and leftist intellectual, pointed at the need to be safe from the US-China competition as the US has felt challenged by China in terms of technology and poverty eradication.

“The US thought that China would be more capitalist with its prosperity. But, China eradicated poverty while some 13% of people in the US are still under the poverty line,” he said.

In his concluding remark, Jhalak Subedi, a political analyst, highlighted that there were ample opportunities for Nepal to develop as China gets more prosperous, but Nepal should have an independent foreign policy to attract Chinese investments and ensure China’s core interests.

He said that with the 20^th National Congress, the CPC seems to be focusing on developing an equitable society by managing the distribution of wealth among the people.

Dr. Kalyan Raj Sharma, Chairman of the Nepal-China Friendship Forum, said that the interaction was a part of the substantive discussion on the CPC 20th Congress and its relevance to Nepal's development.