Newly sworn-in Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur Deuba is seriously re-considering taking a full 180 against China’s ambitious yet failed Belt and Roads Initiative (BRI). Reportedly, the projects already a part of BRI are facing stiff resistance from the aware local Nepalese citizens, who are outrightly objecting to Chinese investment in the region, knowing well and truly that Jinping and his CCP (Chinese Communist Party) want to ensnare the Himalayan nation into its debt-trap.
In an interview with ‘The Sunday Guardian Live’ Nepal’s former Deputy Prime Minister and senior leader, Rajendra Mahto remarked, “The BRI project is at an early stage. Before going ahead with the Belt and Road Initiative in Nepal, we have to think a lot. Wider consultation in the country, between various stakeholders and the common population is needed. Is the BRI useful for Nepal?”
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Mahto further asserted that a multitude of factors needed to be gauged before going ahead full steam with the project, including relations with India.
He added, “How much is it helpful for the people? How will it impact our national and international relations? How will it impact India, our neighbour’s sentiments with whom Nepal shares a 1,800-km long border? We need to give special emphasis that Nepalese land should not be used against anyone before deciding on the BRI project. How will Nepalese population benefit from BRI? If it is not beneficial then we should not go ahead, if it is beneficial then it’s fine.”
BRI has been a failure in Nepal
Nepal was one of the first South Asian countries to get on board with China’s BRI. However, its experience so far has been painful or precarious, to say the least. Multi-billion dollars project had been commissioned by the Chinese under Oli’s era without any transparency that can adversely affect the delicate ecological balance of the landlocked country.
Even before BRI, in 2011, China has promised to build the Budhi Gandaki hydro project by 2022. However, to date, the construction has not even started as Chinese continue to dillydally the project.
The Chinese simply want to annex parts of Nepal through its dubious scheme and get closer to India. It used the strategy to good effect by making former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli dance on its tunes.
Deuba – the decisive pro-India voice
However, as reported by TFI, immediately after taking charge, Deuba formed a five-member committee to analyse its border dispute with China in Nepal’s Humla district. Headed by the joint secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the committee has been ordered to present its report to the government on the border conflict.
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Under former PM KP Sharma Oli’s tenure, China in September last year constructed nine buildings in border area from Limi Lapcha to Hilla in Namkha village municipality of Humla district.
However, the reports of the encroachment were dismissed by Oli and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as it would have antagonized their Chinese overlords. According to Nepal’s Surveying and Mapping Department, last year, in Dolakha, China had pushed forward the international boundary by 1,500 metres towards Nepal. In the past, China occupied Rui village and merged it with the Tibet Autonomous Region of China a couple of years ago.
By questioning the BRI and forming a cabinet-level committee, Deuba has addressed the elephant in room. China in the post-Oli-Yanqi era will have to answer some tough questions if it is to maintain bilateral relations with the Himalayan nation. Trying to force its way through the situation will allow India to take the centre stage, and Beijing wouldn’t want that to happen.