Increased academic collaboration needed to bolster Nepal-China relations: Experts

By TRN Online, Kathmandu, Feb 15: Experts on Nepal-China relations have emphasised on the academic collaboration for boosting multidimensional relations between the two neighbours.

Speaking at a book launching and interaction programme organised today by Center for Nepal Studies, East China University of Technology (ECUT), they highlighted on the need to have more academic collaboration to check misinformation created by the third parties with regard to the age-old friction free relations between Nepal and China.

They made it a point that geopolitical influence has delayed in implementation of the BRI projects in Nepal even after nine years of the signing of the MoU.

Prof. Dr. Khadga KC, Rector of Tribhuvan University (TU), commended on the way China has been pursuing its relations with Nepal based on sovereign equals.

“It has been long since Nepal and China signed the MoU on BRI. But not a single project has been implemented as yet although last year the framework on implementation was signed. It seems there is a lot of misinformation spread even in Nepal with regard to BRI. We need to have more academic collaboration in research and exchanges also to check such misinformation,” said Prof. KC.

He said Nepal should maintain one China principle consistently.

Prof. Liu Yucming, Dean of FLIC and head of CNS at ECUT, viewed that CNS has been focusing on academic exchanges and collaboration for expanding and deepening Nepal-China relations.

Former Ambassador of Nepal to China, Leela Mani Paudyal, viewed that Nepalis should see China through their own eyes not by prisms provided by others.

Understanding is prerequisite for friendship. For friendship to flourish, deeper understanding is needed. Academic exchanges and people to people relations can boost understanding, he said.

Dr Dinesh Bhattarai, former permanent representative of Nepal to UN, held that Nepal’s neighbourhood policy should be guided by geopolitical reality as the country is in the intersection of intensifying geopolitical rivalry.

Nepal is a civilisational state as China. China has been trustworthy neighbour, intimate friend and reliable development partner. Nepal need to learn from the speed of China’s development, said Dr. Bhattarai.

Dr. Sarbottam Shrestha, President of Arniko Society, shared that art and literature can help understand each other very easily. “Translated literature from Nepali to Chinese or Chinese to Nepali can greatly help us understand the lifestyles, thinking pattern and aspirations, socioeconomic status of each other.”

Two books, one, a 16^th century Chinese fiction translated into Nepal by Dr Saroj Gautam and the other, a pictorial book, depicting high level visits since 1955 between Nepal and China were launched by the guests in the event.