Opinion The breach in the wall

But Prime Minister Madhav Nepal’s recent visit,three months after a similar trip to Delhi has shown that Beijing will continue to deal will the government of the day while continuing its search for a trusted long-term ally. But with the return of monarchy nowhere on the cards,it cannot afford to put all its egg in one basket,and instead wants to expand relations with all political parties.

Last month Prachanda,chairman of the CPN-M,visited Beijing. What gave Nepali Maoists more hope was Hu Jintao agreeing to meet Prachanda’s delegation. It was perhaps that hope which triggered a Maoist ideologue in Nepal to write that in a situation where the party captured power and formed a government,recognition from at least one of the neighbours — India or China — will be vital for its legitimacy.

But China punctured that Maoist hope of the Maoists soon enough. Not only did it offer a financial package to the Nepal army in addition to various other developmental activities and infrastructure development — Hu Jintao also extended an official invitation to President Rambaran Yadav to visit China. The current Maoist agitation is based on their assessment and propaganda that the Nepal Army and President Rambaran Yadav have ganged against that principle of civilian principle. In the Maoist view,both President and the army,especially under its previous chief Rookmangud Katawal,had Indian backing in the conspiracy against the Maoist government which led to its exit. Prachanda had resigned as the prime minister on May 4 after the president asked Katawal to continue in the office as the PM’s sacking order,made public without any cabinet proposal sent to the president,was unconstitutional and inappropriate.

But China’s enlarged support to the Nepal army and official invitation to the president so soon after Prachanda’s return ‘highly satisfied with the visit’ sends a signal to the Maoists that China would not adopt and befriend them ignoring other political parties and the government institutions. At the same time,China is also a key actor in the international initiative in Nepal in the peace process,although India is recognised as its main architect.

However,China made it a point to tell the visiting prime minister that it would want to see Nepal being able to solve its problems by itself. That is being interpreted here as some kind of disapproval of the increased presence of the western countries as well as the United Nations delving into its internal affairs in the name of the peace process. The United Nations Mission to Nepal (UNMIN) that was given a limited role in the peace process has now been labelled a failure and most likely will pack off in mid-May after the end of its freshly extended tenure.

But China also made it clear that it is interested in getting involved in Nepal’s hydro-sector at a moderate level now,and perhaps in a bigger way later. India and Nepal have failed all these years to implement and harness Nepal’s rich resources,which has cost Nepal dearly.

In the past four years,China has entered the hydro-sector and similar areas which it had previously avoided because it was a high-priority concern. But it has initiated a process of engagement with all the political parties in Nepal including the ones based in Terai,and with those clearly identified as pro-India. There have been high-level political and military visits between the two countries. It is not just China,even top leaders like G.P. Koirala have quietly suggested that India and China should talk and together find a way to stabilise Nepal’s politics,peace process and development. That is China’s remarkable achievement in Nepal.

yubaraj.ghimire@expressindia.com