Nepal succeed in creating trust with the neighbor: Diplomat Shrestha

Kathmandu, 2020 December 9, Wednesday

Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe paid a one-day visit to Nepal on November 29 last week. This visit was after the visit of Samant Kumar Goyal, Chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) of the Indian Intelligence Agency, Manoj Mukund Narwane, Chief of the Indian Army and Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringala.

Hiranya Lal Shrestha, a senior diplomat, writer and former Nepalese ambassador to Russia, said that Nepal had succeeded in creating an atmosphere of trust by reiterating its views and commitments during recent visits from both the neighboring countries. He says the Chinese defense minister’s visit has been an achievement in resuming suspended military assistance due to the global Corona pandemic.

“Joint military exercises with China and training will all continue,” he said. “If they had not come, India and Nepal would have been Western spheres of influence. We should consider the visit from the Chinese side as an achievement in this sense as well. This is a message that China continues to support Nepal’s stability and development.”

According to Shrestha, the Chinese defense minister’s visit also included diplomacy in cooperation against Corona pandemic. He said that China’s interest has increased not only in Nepal but also in South Asia as the Chinese Defense Minister will also visit Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in addition to Nepal. “China is moving forward with mutual respect on the basis of equality, not hegemony and regional hegemony,” Mr. Shrestha said.

In this context, Nepal also reiterated its commitment not to allow its land to be used against both the neighboring countries as he understood.

“The visit become meaningful to reassure China that we will not allow our land to be used in any activity to uplift and disintegrate the Free Tibet Campaign,” Shrestha said, “Not only to convince them that we will not give, we must create a credible environment to prevent the use of Nepali land against both countries.”

Mr.Shrestha said that Nepal has clearly stated its views during these visits from India and China. “Military diplomacy is an integral part of our diplomatic relations. Our military diplomacy is moving forward equally with both the neighboring countries, as confirmed by the interest shown by the representatives of the neighboring countries during their visit to Nepal over the last one and a half months.”

Shrestha added, “We have given the message that both Nepal and the Nepali people want closeness and balanced relations with their neighbors,”