On September 7, 2023, Abdul Khan, the foreign minister of the government of Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda)and the Vice President of the Janamat Political Party demanded the Chinese ambassador to Nepal, Cheng Song, be declared persona-non-grata and sought clarification from him regarding his undiplomatic remarks.
The Janamat Political party in the ruling alliance in Nepal has demanded the exclusion of the Chinese ambassador to the country for his undiplomatic remarks and advice to Nepal.
Remarks by Nepal Foreign Minister
Being a member of the Nepalese Parliament, Khan said, “Nepal is a sovereign and independent nation. The same is enshrined in our constitution. A foreign diplomatic official from any country cannot determine our foreign policy. How we conduct our relations with any other country is decided by one else. But an ambassador from a country on a public platform spoke about the age-old relationship between India and Nepal by spewing venom.
This is highly condemnable. If Nepal is truly a free country, then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must immediately summon the Chinese Ambassador and declare him persona non grata.” He added the Chinese Ambassador should refrain from making such comments and statements about Nepal and India as it falls outside the purview of his diplomatic responsibilities.
Comments by the Chinese Envoy
The Chinese ambassador, during an event earlier this week, advised Nepal to cautiously deal with India when it comes to trade and other aspects. In his address, Song sought to enhance Chinese Influence in Nepal and portray India in a negative light.
The Chinese envoy said “Unfortunately, you have a neighbour like India. It has a huge market and huge potential that you can tap resources into the same, but at the same time, their policy towards neighbours is not friendly and beneficial to Nepal. We call it Policy Constraints.”
Song also said, “Every Nepalese politician, leader, businessman and ordinary citizen are talking about the export of electricity to India and China. They say that is how Nepal will have an independent economy. What is the reality? I have to share with you, my Nepalese friends, that in the last fiscal year, you exported ten billion Nepalese rupees worth of electricity to India.
How much did you import from India? You have imported 19 billion Nepalese Rupees worth of electricity from India. You have a big deficit in electricity trade, one of the products that you are proud of, and you think it would bring you economic independence.”
It was the first time that a Chinese Ambassador to Nepal spoke publicly about the country’s diplomatic relations with other nations. It is seen as a breach and gross violation of diplomatic etiquette, which all the diplomats in the world are expected to follow while negotiating and interacting with another nation’s diplomatic personnel.
Resentment against China
Very recently, in the previous month on August 28, 2023, the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources published a new map that included regions from India and Southeast Asian maritime national territories as a part of China and under its jurisdiction, which has led to a furore internationally with many nations supporting India. The new map also depicts Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani, the areas to which Nepal has a claim, is shown as a part of Indian territory.
This has propelled the Himalayan nation to join the League of Nations, which has expressed resentment and protests for the controversial Chinese map. China is alarmed at the bonhomie relations between India and its neighbours in South Asia, especially Nepal. Being a communist nation, China is trying to incite the communist parties and entities of Nepal to turn against India.
