The timing of the rap given by Beijing on “Nepal’s lack of preparedness” to receive Chinese president Xi Jinping during his proposed visit to the landlocked Himalayan country in October, is a clear indication of China’s unhappiness over the new government’s proximity with New Delhi.
Just a week ahead of Prachanda’s visit to New Delhi, Beijing’s envoy in Kathmandu told Nepal’s foreign office about “unhappiness over the lack of preparedness.” The Nepal PM is scheduled to visit India on a three-day trip beginning September 15.
This would be Prachanda’s first visit abroad after taking charge as PM. He has come to power this time toppling the government of Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, which had the Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) in majority. Prachanda, heads the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre) and his government has the support of Nepali Congress and Madhesis. Both the groups are pro-India and want to maintain distance from China. Soon after coming to power Prachanda appointed senior Nepali Congress leader Deep Kumar Upadhyay as Kathmandu’s envoy to New Delhi in a clear indication of his government’s desire to mend fences with India.
The relationship between the two neighbours had hit an all time low during Oli’s tenure. Oli had recalled Upadhyay as Nepal’s envoy in India in May this year, accusing him of hobnobbing with New Delhi to topple his government. Upadhyay had reservations over Oli’s plans to introduce Chinese supply line to Nepal, for which Nepal and China signed a landmark transit deal in March during Oli’s China visit.
“There are several practical difficulties in the plan to build supply lines over the Himalayas,” Upadhyay had said. Sources in Kathmandu suggest that Beijing is unhappy over “Nepal’s apparent disinterest” in its supply line – One Belt, One Road (OBOR) project. OBOR is a personal initiative of Jinping and it proposes “connectivity and cooperation between China and its Eurasian neighbours.” Nepal may also review other deals reached between the two countries during Oli’s visit to Beijing in March.