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Bilateral Bond
A Chinese scholar writes a book explaining importance of China-Nepal relations in Nepali
By KESHAB POUDEL
Although Bada Maharaja Prithivi Narayan Shah described his newly unified Kingdom in the Himalaya as “a yam between two boulders” in the eighteen century, his statement is still valid as Nepal has been struggling to survive as an independent nation between its two big neighbors.
In the last five decades, Nepal suffered from many ups and downs including threat of external domination and subversion. With the establishment of diplomatic relations with People’s Republic of China five decades ago, Nepal ’s status in the Central Himalaya region witnessed a transformation.
Following the establishment of diplomatic relations, Nepal and China have made tremendous efforts to enhance people to people relations. Many Chinese scholars came to Nepal to study and vice versa. The exchange of intellectuals and students helped open new areas.
Associate Professor of Henan University Wang Zong also came to Nepal under this exchange program to learn Nepali language. In the course of pursuing study, scholar Wang has shown interest to study the bilateral relations.
Thanks to intense interactions with Nepalese scholars, Wang acquired first hand information about Nepal . Professor Wang completed his book by elaborating and analyzing these information as well as documents in Chinese.
Just a week before the commemoration of fifty years of establishment of Nepal-China diplomatic relations, the book title “ Nepal ’s Defense Strategy and Nepal China Relations” was released. Published by Nepal China Study Center , an organization dedicated to enhance people to people relations; this book has analyzed Nepal ’s internal political development and role of Nepal ’s southern neighbor. From Royal Palace Massacre to ruin of Singha Durbar, assassination attempt of the King, Chinese scholar explains through analyzing regional scenario.
The author also explained India ’s greater involvement in Nepal ’s internal politics and how it took advantage of division among Nepal ’s political forces. The author describes B.P’s national reconciliation aimed at bringing monarchy and Nepali Congress together. It did not work since the other side did not response to it giving ways for maneuvering in divided house.
Chinese scholar also highlighted the role of late King Mahendra and late King Birendra taking Nepal ’s foreign policy towards independent line. The scholar describes the role of first elected prime minister B.P. Koirala as a leader to have laid the foundation of Nepal-China relations.
Written by a Chinese scholar Wang Zong, the book is a first of its kind written in Nepali language analyzing Nepal ’s defense strategy with historical perspective exploring the present state of Nepal .
Although several articles and books were written by Nepalese and foreign scholars on Nepal-China relations, for the first time a Chinese scholar has analyzed Nepal ’s domestic political scenario and Nepal ’s strategy of survival.
The writer highlights how China- Nepal relations evolved from ancient time to modern and Nepal ’s geo-strategic importance to Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. The writer not only cites Chinese historical documents but also many recent events recorded by Chinese scholars.
“The publication of this book is not possible without support and suggestion of Madan Regmi, president of Nepal-China Study Center who encouraged me to bring my thesis of MA in a book form,” said Professor Wang. “I have tried to analyze Nepal ’s policy to gain benefits from Nepal ’s two big neighbors and China-Nepal relations and Nepal ’s defense policy and its implications. Nepal ’s policies show how delicate it is to survive as a small neighbor of two big countries.”
The book also discusses how Nepal’s southern neighbor disliked Chinese construction companies’ involvement in the construction of infrastructures in Nepal’s Terai giving an example of how tender won by Chinese companies on Kohalpur-Banbasa road was cancelled.
Many Chinese scholars visit Nepal for a short and long term period. Professor Wang is the first Chinese scholar to reveal the Chinese sensitivities and concerns in Nepal . His book is most balanced with revealing information about Nepal ’s internal problems.
On the basis of recorded Chinese documentations, this book reveals many interesting development of Nepal ’s internal politics as well as Chinese policies of past and present.
As American Scholar Leo E. Rose said, “there is basic similarity between King Prithivi Narayan Shah’s analysis of Nepal ’s role in the Himalayan area and his selection of tactics and that of the ninth ruler in his dynasty, King Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.”
“Because of Nepal’s preoccupation with mere survival, its foreign policy inevitably has a psychological orientation different from that of larger states, including India and China, whose physical attributes is in them a fairly reliable guarantor of security,” this observation by the American scholar Rose described in his book Nepal Strategy for Survival, 1971, is still valid to Nepal.
Professor Wang’s valuable and informative book is an important gift by a Chinese scholar to Nepal in commemoration of fifty-years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It is important for Nepalese to read it.
Nepal ’s National Defensive Strategy
Author: Wang Zong
Publisher: Nepal China Study Center
Price: Rs.150
Pages: 158
Published in: July, 2005
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