World Desk, AnyTV, Kathmandu
Published by: Kirtivardhan Mishra
Updated Wed, 23 Feb 2022 09:34 PM IST
Summary
There is a lot of commotion in China regarding the US aid to Nepal. Actually, China has invested in Kathmandu for a long time. Apart from this, Dragon has also been helping the Marxist Left parties of Nepal.
Chinese President Xi Jinping (file photo)
– Photo : PTI
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China has been alarmed by the financial aid from the US to Nepal under the $ 500 million Millennium Corporation Challenge (MCC) program. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a statement on Wednesday saying that it is against coercive diplomacy and aid at the cost of sovereignty. Dragon said that if help is being given then it is fine, but there should not be any ultimatum or political interest associated with it.
Significantly, there is a difference of opinion among the political parties of Nepal whether the aid being provided by the US for infrastructure development should be accepted or not. China has also jumped into this ongoing political debate in Kathmandu. Last week also Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said that Beijing was happy to see international aid to Nepal, but that the aid should be without any political binding.
Now five days later, China’s Foreign Ministry has again commented on the US help being received by Nepal. Spokesperson Hua Chunying said, “The US Embassy in Nepal is being said to be a gift to the American people. How can a gift come as an ultimatum. Can anyone accept such a gift?
Why is China upset over US aid to Nepal?
There is a lot of commotion in China regarding the US aid to Nepal. Actually, China has invested in Kathmandu for a long time. Apart from this, Dragon has also been helping the Marxist Left parties of Nepal. Let us tell you that China has invested a lot in Nepal under the regime of Nepal’s previous Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
Now the influence of China is sure to be reduced due to the financial assistance from the US to the Nepali Congress government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. Nepal’s foreign policy has been quite balanced under the Deuba government and Delhi-Kathmandu relations have once again improved.
What did China say last week?
China’s foreign ministry said last week without naming the US, “Such cooperation and assistance should be based on the full respect and will of the Nepalese people, without any political constraints.” Oppose an agenda based on diplomacy and selfish interests at the cost of the sovereignty of other countries.
What did America say about financial help?
Last week, the US asked Nepal to ratify the proposed grant-in-aid from the US under the MCC by February 28. It warned that if Kathmandu did not accept the program, Washington would review its relationship with the Himalayan nation and hold China’s interest accountable if it failed.