In the aftermath of the earthquake and disaster in Nepal, ChinaFile asked three prominent figures working on India, China and Nepal to comment on the relationship between China and Nepal. ICI’s Senior Director Ashok Gurung was asked to share his thoughts on the politics between China and Nepal. Here’s an excerpt from his piece.
It seems that the primary motive of all countries offering aid after the earthquake is humanitarian. I always tell my friends that because of the complex history of the region, India will continue to play a significantly higher role in Nepal. But what amazes me is that if you look at Nepal with its population of about 30 million or so, the level of Chinese engagement with Nepal, at one of the most sensitive parts of its border, is actually quite small if you compare it with China’s engagement with a similarly sized country in Africa. In some ways, China is beginning to realize that perhaps they did not pay proper attention to their engagement with Nepal, which is important for their own interests in the geopolitical landscape.
You can read the rest of the article and interviews on China File right here.