In order to protect the small Himalayan country from Coronavirus pandemic, the Nepalese government has announced a lockdown till April 7. However, the Chinese workers in Nepal, who are working on a Hydro-power project, are hell-bent on going ahead with the daily routine of construction, defying the government orders of lockdown.
Chinese company trucks were continuing to carry construction material to Nyadi Hydropower Project based at Thulobesi in Marsyangi Rural Municipality-6 of Lamjung district, but the locals protested against the movement of vehicle, and blocked the road through which vehicle was supposed to pass.
The Chinese truck drivers, with no respect for the law of the land or the locals, removed the barricade and tried to pass the vehicle. On this, some local youth got infuriated and clash broke out between two parties on Tuesday. And the Chinese workers were daring enough to pick up dagger to intimidate the locals. The matter was resolved when the police finally arrived at the scene and sorted out the matter with the two parties.
The Chinese companies and workers have full support of the newly elected Communist government of Nepal. But the Nepalese people, especially those living in fertile lower plains and very closely linked with India, do not like the increasing Chinese influence over Nepal. They have protested against Chinese exploitation of Nepalese natural resources, but the Communist government in Nepal has always tilted on the Chinese side.
Since the Communist government came to power in Nepal, Chinese influence and interference in the Himalayan country has increased. The Communist government has laid a red carpet for Chinese officials and companies. But, the common people of Nepal are fed up with China’s illegal activities and, widespread protests are being held.
China is carrying out several illegal activities in order to control Nepal. Huawei, the Chinese company which has been infamous for hacking and data theft, hacked 200 Nepali websites, including some government websites, reported Economic Times.
The Nepalese people held protest in front of Huawei office and shouted anti-China, anti-Huawei slogans. The protesters also tried to enter Huawei’s office but were arrested by the police.
Previously, Chinese Nationals hacked ATMs of many prominent banks including Nepal Rashtriya Bank and this caused massive public outrage against China. The ATM scandal was not made public as the Communist government of Nepal wanted to protect Chinese interest. The ATM scandal was carried out by tinkering Nepal Electronic System (NEPS), which put the whole Nepalese banking system at risk.
In the last few months, Chinese people and companies were found to be involved in bride trafficking. The sex ratio of China is among the worst due to its disastrous one-child policy and therefore many Chinese companies are involved in bride trafficking from countries like Pakistan and Nepal.
In August this year, four Chinese Nationals namely Zhen Xianjdong, Zhang Donghui, Quan Zhan Peng and Qin Liyang of China’s Hubei province were arrested from Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu.
Profit and self-interest are supreme to China. Its policies in the Himalayan country are harmful to the interest of the people, but the Communist government is protecting Chinese companies. The Chinese embassy in Nepal has got a free hand in Nepal and they are protecting Chinese interest by all possible means. The Communist government is whitewashing the illegal activities like hacking, data theft, bride trafficking, and land encroachment. And now the Chinese companies and workers are exposing the Nepalese to the pandemic that originated in Wuhan.
The hatred of Nepalese people against China, its companies, and its people is obvious, but the Nepalese government, whose glasses are tinted with Chinese Yuan, cannot see this.