HM’s Visit To China
Timely Step To Strengthen Ties

By Jagadish B. Mathema

THE recent was the third State Visit of His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev to the People’s Republic of China. The earlier ones were in 1973 and 1993 respectively.

Much water has flown down the Bagmati river during these periods, but the relation with Beijing, based on the principles of Pancha Sheel, propounded in 1953 has remained intact.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony to the Forum for Asia at Boao, Hainan Province of the Peoples Republic of China, His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev said, "It has now become incumbent on Asia to chart a definite course to reduce the disparity in the level and pace of development and achieve equitable and sustainable development so that our future generations can live with honor and dignity."

Similarly, in his brief address, but with a powerful content, President Jiang opined, "Advocating the establishment political and economic order, the Chinese government has all along attached importance to and supported multi-level and multi-channel dialogue and cooperation in various fields."

In its editorial dated March 1, The Rising Nepal has said," The world’s economic scenario has been witnessing far-reaching progress in almost all spheres, so much so that within the last decade and a half, economic models, not to speak of barriers, have been made absolute and redundant."

We are aware that China’s pragmatic economic policy and other efforts to open its economy have been a tremendous success. Chinese economy is thriving having achieved a 16 per cent economic growth rate. The country is becoming a global trade partner.

China’s significant achievement in her economic front is a thing to watch not only by the countries in Asia, but also by the world. China is really moving fast.

In such a scenario, where does Nepalese economy fit in? We lag much behind economically. Watching our economic activities, we can never think of achieving’s fraction of economic achievement, which China has achieved in this present decade.

There is no doubt that as a close neighbour and friend China’s good will is always with us. China has always extended cooperation whenever Nepal has faced difficulties and troubles. China has helped Nepal in building industries, building factories, establishing hospitals, constructing roads, building other infrastructure and imparting proper training.

In view of the present scenario of economic liberalisation and globalisation, we must not depend on aid, but should give emphasis on trade. The recent State Visit of Their Majesties to China is very appropriate and timely and the assurances of the Chinese leaders for its continued support to modernise our economy, is reassuring.

As we all are aware that China is emerging as dominant economic power of the world which is a very positive development for Nepal and therefore it is very necessary to seriously think to promote as well as expand trade and investment with China. We are pleased to know that the Chinese government has agreed to provide an additional trade point to facilitate trade relations with Nepal and construct Syabrubeshi-Rasuwagadhi highway to connect Kerang in Tibet which will definitely increase trade and economic cooperation between Nepal and China.

Besides China’s keen interest in initiating joint investments to tap Nepal’s resources is also highly commendable. The tremendous water resoruces belonging to Nepal for which Nepal is very much interested in foreign investment is one of the areas, where China can help for the benefit of both the countries. Other similar ventures can also be explored and initiated which might benefit both Nepal and China.

China has made substantial progress in economic development after China started adopting open and liberal policies. China has now emerged as an economic power of the world. Nepal can learn a lot of things from China. Therefore, it is absolutely very necessary for Nepal to strengthen its relation with her northern neighbour for economic cooperation.

Although Nepal-China relations have been cordial and friendly and both the countries have adopted the policy of Panchasheel and peaceful co-existence the recent State Visit of Their Majesties has further cemented the ties and will certainly mark another new area in Nepal-China relation.

During the State Visit of the Chinese President Jiang Zemin in 1996 His Majesty the King had said, "It is an enduring relationship of exemplary good neighbourliness that has nurtured with sincere efforts by the peoples and governments of the two countries."

We are fortunate to have a seasoned and well experienced monarch like King Birendra, and in the Chinese side also the leaders are seasoned and experienced. Therefore the efforts from the both sides should be to transform this entire region into a prosperous, throng and healthy part of the world.

His Majesty the King also held talks with President Jiang Zemin of China at the Great Hall of the People.

Briefing the press about the talks later, Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola said "The talks between His Majesty the King and President Jiang Zemin were an updating of continuing dialogue.

No outstanding problems exist with China, he said adding that various official level talks and cooperation that have been going on should be reaching a definite point.

There certainly will be cooperation in areas such as tourism and trade. Talks are underway regarding the Mustang road, civil servants hospital and an industrial state at Panchkhal.

These kinds of visit by the Head of State from time to time will certainly help in strengthening and cementing our age old relation. The visits of the late King Mahendra (1961), Prime Minister B.P. Koirala (1960). Tanka Prasad Acharya (1956), Girija Prasad Koirala (1992), Man Mohan Adhikari, Sher Bahadur Deoba and other political leaders to China are certainly important in further cementing our bilateral-ties.

Our diplomatic relation should be oriented towards economic diplomacy. There is no doubt that this visit of Their Majesties will certainly help in achieving that goal.

Pragmatism Must Prevail

By Mohan K.C.

WHEN the tourism industry is already reeling under low tourist arrivals in the country, the call by the hotel employees’ unions to go ahead with their protests comes as yet another blow. It may not be wrong to say that the loss that the country is suffering from the decline in the arrival of foreign visitors is quite heavy. In this context instead of aiming to boost the sector, the present protest programmes are going to hurt further.

It was barely a few months back that the call of a strike by the hotel employees was averted at the last moment. Herein it may be worthwhile remembering that the umbrella body of the hotel, that is the Hotel Association of Nepal (HAN), was also adamant in its stance to close down the hotels rather than bow down to the pressures of the hotel employees.

What the hotel employees are demanding is that a ten per cent service charge be levied on the total bills payable by the hotel guests and that be distributed to them. From their viewpoint they may be demanding a bit more of the pie than what they have been receiving so far.

On the other hand the hotels feel that the charges that the hotel occupants are paying is already too high with Value Added Tax (VAT) and the tourism service fee being added to their bills. It is true that if another 10 per cent is added to the overall bills then the clients are bound to be discouraged. It went so far that even when the hotel workers called for a strike the hotel entrepreneurs flatly refused to comply and even threatened to close down the hotels.

The sufferers in this impasse have been both the hotel owners and the workers. Meanwhile the loss to the national exchequer is unimaginable. In fact, in the tussle between the two groups the country has suffered the most. At a time when the tourism business is very competitive and full of risks, this type of confrontation does have far reaching negative consequences. And it may be appropriate to suggest that the ramifications last for many years and the turn about may take years.

In this competitive age of globalisation and liberalisation, there is every need to be aware of the hazards in the tourism and travel business. In spite of the awareness of the need to be ready to face the challenges in the tourism sector, petty interests are at work and in a way it may destabilise the very goose that lays golden eggs.

It is true that much hope pins on the way the tourism sector develops. To reiterate the same old thing, tourism has not only earned foreign exchange and generated employment opportunities for thousands of people but it also has created a unique image of Nepal in the world community.

Tourism has contributed much to raise the necessary funds to be utilised in development activities. Unlike obtaining loans or grants, the money generated is from the hard labour of all the people involved in the sector. So there is less involvement of foreign intervention of any sort.

The scene now seems quite chaotic. Both the sides in the conflict want to stick to their own point with no group wanting to make concessions. The hotel owners may be right to some extent by the very fact that over-burdening the tourists with another 10 per cent in what may be called as sort of tax is uncalled for. This may be true when the year 2000 saw a negative growth in the number of arrivals from abroad. This is not to say that Nepal should be promoted as a cheap destination. What is intended is that strategies ought to be devised so that more tourists can be attracted in the face of stiff global competition.

Instead of trying to attract more tourists through whatever means possible, the steps now being declared is to discourage the tourists to include Nepal in their itinerary. The significant thing to remember here is that visitors from the tourist generating countries plan their trips quite in advance and not in the spur of the moment. In this scenario, the news of the impending protest programmes of the hotel employees will result in heavy cancellations of trips to this country.

Just a few months back when a similar call was made, there was heavy cancellation of bookings and the impact is still being felt today. Once again a similar call has been made and this will have a very negative effect on the flow of tourists to this country. So all the parties concerned in the conflict have to sit at the table and sort out the differences.

Meanwhile the government too cannot remain a mute spectator to the situation that is brewing. It also has to come up and act as a mediator in the process. It must be able to chart the courses that ought to be followed by both the hotel entrepreneurs as well as the employees so that the tourism industry as such does not suffer. If the tourism sector comes under pressure then the country also has to suffer. Many tourism and trade related jobs may become redundant resulting in more unemployment besides straining the overall economy of the country.

When tourism sector is considered to be very important in its ability to contribute to the overall health of the economy then there should not be any dilly dallying on the issue. A reasonable solution has to be found urgently before further harm is done. This is important because in this modern age news travels very very fast to any corner of the world, thanks to the modern communication technology.

Scoring 12/10 In English

By Shreedhar Khanal

WHENEVER I happened to pass by Tri-Chandra Campus I remember a Bengali English professor of the past. He is late Kshitish Chandra Chakravarti who was one of my English teachers in 1948. I was then studying in I. Sc. Level. In the then Tri-Chandra-College and three professors took my English class. They were (late) R. P. Manandhar, Yadu Nath Khanal and Mr. Chakravarti. They were all efficient Masters of Arts and the students were well satisfied with them. But there was a fly in the ointment regarding professor Chakravarti. He was a very strict teacher. He did not allow a late comer to enter his class, particularly if the student asked for his permission. He always answered "No" to every student who asked, "May I come in, Sir ?" from outside. He could not tolerate a student disturb his lecture by announcing loudly, ‘May I come in Sir ?’ He rather used to go on with his lecture of the late comer quietly entered the classroom and took seat without making noise.

Professor Kshitish was an M.A. with gold medal from a renowned university of Calcutta. But he preferred his mother-tongue Bengali to English.

He did not like British rule in India and came to Nepal although he could have been a professor in any university there. He used to come everyday in simple dhoti-kurta and a shawl to take class in Tri-Chandra college while other Indian professors came wearing suit and a tie. It was a formal dress for the professors in Rana regime also. He had also spiritual instinct and he accepted to take class in Religion also. That was prescribed as optional subject in 1948. After retirement, the professor of English became a hermit and took shelter in a spiritual institution Aduaita Samstha of his own in Chitwan. His son is running the institution in memory of his late father and he is trying to convey the message of the revened teacher to the people of Nepal.

These are some of the aspects of the late professor Chakravarti who was born in India but died of his own will in Nepal.

There is another incident that reminds me of his strong character after more than fifty years. Tutorial examinations were taken in our class during 1940. Once on such examination, professor Kshitish had given us a tough question of full marks ten. We had to write the answer within forty five minutes. Just at that moment, a call from the principal Rudra Raj Pandey came for professor Kshitish. He got up and said, "Please do not use unfair means, I will be back in forty minutes."

As the question was very difficult, most of my friends began to unfold the book "Ideas that moved the world" and copy proper sentences from the text. I was also finding it difficult to answer the question without reading the text again. But I could not ignore the professor’s request- "Please don’t use unfair means" and wrote the answer in my own language. I could write only twelve sentences and my friends filled up two pages with their writing. I was a bit dismayed. Professor Kshitish came back in time and took our answer books which he was to return next day as usual.

Next day, he brought our answer papers and told the class that Mr. Khanal had stood first in the exam.
Then he raised his forefinger pointing out to me and said, "Khanal, you deserve twelve out of ten as you are the only one to answer my question without consulting the text. "Many unfolded their answer books and found that nobody had got more than five out of ten. After the professor had gone, they realised that he had detected their cheating and obviously punished them.

I had received unconcievable reward of my honesty that made me very happy. This incident of fifty
three years ago reminds me of the spiritual teacher K. C. Chakravarti every time I pass by Tri-
Chandra Campus today. I can not forget the spiritual master.