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US Tibetan Policy: Possibilities Of Using Nepal’s Land Against China

At present, there is debate of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Nepal. Secondly the debate of US Indo-Pacific Strategy (IPS) is reaching in peak. But, the US bill on Tibetan Policy and Support Act 2019 is in under the shadow which directly impact on Nepal-China relations. The policy targeting to the Tibet, an autonomous region of China has focused on Nepal to. This new law has shown signs of interference with Nepal’s ‘One China Policy’. However, there has been no discussion of a Tibetan bill passed by the United States in Nepal that has been embroiled in MCC controversy. In fact, in the political document presented in the second full meeting of the central committee of the ruling party of Nepal; Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) was stated that IPS had come in line with US strategy to surround China. Later It was corrected after the many of CCM agitate on the phrase. The document remains silent about the MCC and the bill. Meeting formed the task force under the leadership of senior leader JhalaNath Khanal to review the MCC. PrimeMinister Kp Sharma Oli, one of the Chair of the CPN is in position to pass the MCC from the parliament. This article is focused on the another factor affecting Nepal-China relations; US Tibetan Policy and Support Act 2019. What is the latest US law on Tibet? A law passed by the US parliament last month has closely monitored the human rights situation in Tibet. Also support the activities of ‘Dalai Lama’ and his followers. Not only that, it supported the separationist of the Tibet. The law is expected to put pressure on China to set up a US diplomatic center in Tibet. Under this legal foundation, the United States will now ban the new Chinese consulate in the United States until it establishes its diplomatic center in Tibet. However, China has commented that the US move would help those seeking independent Tibet. China has accused the US of questioning China’s sovereignty and geographical integrity. The law that is now passed will replace the ‘Tibetan Policy Act 2002’. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has recently raised the issue of Tibet. “We are supporting the rights of religious freedom of Tibetan citizens,” she said during a vote in parliament last month, “The Tibetan Buddhist community has the right to elect its religious leader and future Dalai Lama.” The new law has added a provision for the President to provide financial support to NGOs in Tibet for the sustainable development of the Tibetan community, to preserve cultural and historicity as well as to protect health education and the environment. Likewise, the bill envisages a special coordinator to look into the Tibet issue. The aim of which is to make the selection of new Dalai Lama through a democratic way through dialogue between the Dalai Lama’s representative and the Chinese government. Nepal under the new law Nepal is also discussed in US laws regarding Tibet. The third section of the law deals with the selection of the successor of the Dalai Lama. In this section, Nepal and Bhutan, India, Mongolia, China, Russia and the United States have a Tibetan Buddhist community accusing China of interfering in the selection of a new Dalai Lama. It also included the statement given by the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman on March 29, 1919, that the selection of the successor of the living Buddha along with the new Dalai Lama should be in accordance with Chinese laws and regulations. In this section, explaining American policy, the participation of the Tibetan Buddhist community in the election of a new Dalai Lama is mentioned in a traditional way. According to the wish of the 14th Dalai Lama, there should be an election of the 15th Dalai Lama. The law stipulates that the Chinese government or any government’s activities that restrict Tibetan Buddhist activity will violate the basic religious freedom of the Tibetan people and Tibetan Buddhists. The United States may be banned from engaging in such activities. By which activities of the The fifth section of this law also mentions the democratic system of the exiled Tibetan community. Under which the Tibetan refugee community around the world should be given the right to elect a leader with the right to self-governance. In section 4 of it, referring to the Tibetan community seeking to preserve its culture, religion and language, the US State Department must deal with the Government of Nepal. “The Secretary of State should urge the Government of Nepal to honor the Gentleman’s Agreement with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and to provide legal documentation to long-staying Tibetan residents in Nepal who fled a credible threat of persecution in Tibet in order to allow them to more fully participate in the economy and society of Nepal. ‘ By this Act, it is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 for the Office of the United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues. Likewise, US will invest 1,250,000 $ on Name of Tibetan Scholarship Program each years on Nepal like nations. US will invest in Nepal on project of Humanitarian Assistance and Support to Tibetan Refugees in South Asia. It also amid to invest $8,000,000 for each year of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 under to support activities which preserve cultural traditions and promote sustainable development, education, and environmental conservation in Tibetan communities in the Tibet Autonomous Region and in other Tibetan communities in China. Under the Assistance for Tibetans in India and Nepal, US will invest 6,000,000$ in name of promotion and preservation of Tibetan Culture and language Development. This investment is directly amid to development of future generation of Tibetan leaders. It will impact the relations between Nepal and China. The act has authorized to be appropriated $3,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2021 through 2025 for programs to strengthen the capacity of Tibetan institutions and strengthen democracy, governance, information and international outreach, and research. Not only

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US Indo-Pacific Strategy Aimed Containing China

Dhakal Bidhur Nepal’s governing party Nepal Communist Party (NCP), after the unification of the CPN (UML) and CPN (Maoist Center) second central committee full conclude is on going in the capital Kathmandu. 20 month after the unification the political document introduced in the CC meeting adopt the strong views against the US Indo-Pacific Strategy stating that it is aimed at containing China’s rise in the global geopolitical circumstance. “The US has come up with a military strategy named Indo-Pacific Strategy to boost its influence and dominance in the Indo-Pacific region, to contain China’s rise as the world’s top economic power and to weaken it,” read the NCP’s political document presented by its co-chairpersons KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the party’s central committee on going meeting. China initiated Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been praised on the document of NCP who took over administration after the landslide victory on election held after the formulation of news constitution. The report mentions that today’s world economy will focus on Asia. “The Chinese economy and economic growth, accelerating to become the first of the world’s economic powers and growth of the Indian economy as a potential Asia-centric world power,” the document said, adding, “China’s BRI, Asian Infrastructure. Development Bank, BRICS between China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa and India shows the conscious initiation of cooperation strategy.” The BRI is described as the broad sharing strategy. Without naming the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact in which Nepal has signed in 2017 and ready to introduce in the parliament document sates, “Nepal cannot accept any proposal of political or economic assistance if that is part of any military alliance.” “The BRI presented by China today is working as a comprehensive partnership strategy to expand its connectivity and financial support globally,” the document said, adding that Nepal has also signed a BRI and has made itself a partner in expanding that relationship and cooperation. NCP document shows the need to take positive initiatives for the development of an independent and self-reliant national economy while maintaining good neighborly relations with China and India. However, the document is silent MCC which has been under discussion in recent years, inside and outside the government and in the streets. Speaking at the inauguration of a meeting on the issue of MCC, which was opposed by senior leaders of the NCP, Prime Minister and one of the chairmen KP Sharma Oli said that the report did not mention anything about the military partnership. But in ongoing discussion on the document senior leaders of the party has opposed on the MCC compact and are demanding to introduce MCC in the document. Indo-Pacific Strategy is ongoing debate in Nepal since foreign minister Pradeep K. Gyanwali meet US state secretary Mike Pompeo in Washington. After the meeting deputy spokesperson of State department released the statement stating as the Nepal as member of the Indo-pacific Strategy. Although the statement is out from the department website but the tweet of the deputy spokesperson is in archive now. The defense department release the report in June 2019; stating Nepal as the new member of the strategy. After that leaders of the NCP have strong position against the Strategy. Although government has not release the diplomatic note against the report leaders of the NCP are demanding to oppose it. In 2017 Nepal signed the MCC compact with US of 500 million dollars. Now it is in debate that the US is entering to Nepal to stop China and BRI through the cooperation. The MCC, describes itself as an “independent U.S. foreign assistance agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty.” But, many of US defense report state that the MCC as the defense strategy. Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asia at the US Department of State David J Ranz on his Nepal visit himself has said that MCC is one of the most important initiatives being implemented in Nepal under the US Indo-Pacific Strategy. Now government and US embassy are giving clarification saying that the MCC is not the part of IPS. In this periphery of circumstance, small communist group outside the parliament are opposing the MCC. Right wing Nepali Congress the main opposition of the parliament strongly backs the MCC compact. There are at least three opinions inside the NCP. Party chair and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali are in favor of endorsing MCC as soon as possible. But the standing committee member Bhim Rawal and Dev Gurung are strongly opposing the Compact. Whereas with next chair, Prachand other leaders are silent or in mid point. They are stating, the compact should be in favor of the national interest. Hiranyalal Shrestha a Veteran diplomat in short discussion with this author; worried about Nepal going on IPS. “Nepal should keep balance relation with its neighbor and other nation. We should not be the part of the any military cooperation of any nation targeting to our next neighbor,” former ambassador of Nepal to Russia and former leader of the NCP added, “Nepal should not be the card of any nation against our neighbor.” Shrestha argued that Nepali leaders should be aware of the US policy to stop China in the South Asia. “Nepal has principle of non-aligned we should maintain it,” he added. In Nepal, there is a conspiracy that opposition voice of US IPS and MCC is backed by the Beijing. In this circumstance Beijing has cleared that China never opposed the foreign aids in Nepal. In a press conference held on January 3, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi has said, “We welcome any international assistance to Nepal if it is for economic cooperation. We would like to see the ratification process of the MCC and the Nepal government takes a positive decision for its interest.” It is cleared that the Nepal used to throw the China card against the India and Indian cards against the China. Now the situation has been changed. China and India

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के हो नेपालसमेत जोडिएको ‘हिमालय क्वाड’ : किन सशंकित हुँदैछन् भारत र पश्चिमा देश?

विधुर ढकाल दक्षिण एसियामा नेपालको भू-राजनीतिक अवस्थिति शक्ति राष्ट्रका लागि रणनीतिक रुपमा रहँदै आएको छ। नेपालका दुई छिमेकी राष्ट्रहरु चीन र भारत आफ्नो प्रभुत्व जमाई राख्न चाहन्छन्। त्यस्तै अमेरिकाका लागि पनि नेपाल दक्षिण एसिया हेर्न रणनीतिक महत्त्वको भूगोलको रुपमा रहँदै आएको छ। यतिबेला हिमालय राष्ट्र नेपाल तीन शक्तिकेन्द्र बिचको टकरावमा पर्दै आएको छ। चीनले प्रस्ताव गरेको बेल्ट एण्ड रोड इनिसिएटिभ (बीआरई)को साझेदार हो नेपाल। विभिन्न बहुपक्षीय मञ्चहरुमा नेपाल तीन छिमेकीसँग एक साथ र छुट्टाछुट्टै रहँदै आएको छ। बीआरआईको सदस्य रहेको नेपाललाई अमेरिकाले आफ्नो रक्षा नीति ‘इन्डो प्यासिफिक स्ट्राटेजी (आईएफएस)’मा सहभागी गराउन अनेक प्रयास गरिरहेको छ। पूरा पढ्नुहोस

के हो नेपालसमेत जोडिएको ‘हिमालय क्वाड’ : किन सशंकित हुँदैछन् भारत र पश्चिमा देश? Read More »

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