China silent on exit of Nepal PM Oli amid riots

Beijing: China has yet to officially react to the fall of Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, regarded as its steadfast ally, and the prevailing violent student movement against the political class of Nepal.

Oli resigned as prime minister on Tuesday in the face of massive anti-government protests with the demonstrators attacking private residences of several high-profile leaders, headquarters of political parties and even vandalising the parliament, a day after 19 people died in police action against the agitators.

His downfall followed days after his high-profile visit to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin and the Chinese military parade to commemorate the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan in World War II.

China’s state-run Xinhua news agency carried a brief report of Oli’s resignation and news of protests breaking out in Nepal on Monday in Kathmandu and other parts of the country.

Oli is the second leader of a South Asian country after former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina to quit amid a riotous situation after their visits to China.

Hasina fled to India on August 5 last year after massive student protests erupted over the alleged corruption and misrule of her Awami League government, days after her return from a high-profile visit to Beijing. For China, the disgraceful exit of Oli, regarded as a pro-Beijing leader for his efforts to reshape Nepal’s traditionally India-friendly foreign policy towards China, was reminiscent of the fall of the Rajapaksa family rule in Sri Lanka.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the brother of Mahinda Rajapaksa, resigned as president in 2022 following massive public protests.