Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Chen Song, has come under fire for his controversial remarks cautioning Nepal against India’s Nepal policy, which he termed “less than ideal.”
Chen made the remarks on Saturday while participating in a “China in Global Economy and its Impact in Nepal” discussion by the Foundation for Trans Himalayan Research and Studies and Friends of Silk Road Club Nepal.
Remarks of the Chinese Envoy
Commenting on India-Nepal ties, Chen said, “Unfortunately, you have a neighbour like India, but fortunately, you have a neighbour like India because India is a huge market with huge potential you can tap into.”
The envoy remarked, “But at the same time, India’s policy towards Nepal and other neighbours is not so friendly and not so beneficial to Nepal. So, we call that policy constraints.”
#WATCH: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song says "India's policies towards Nepal & other neighbours are not so friendly."#China #India #Nepal pic.twitter.com/cO6QH3MrCB
— Statecraft (@statecraftdaily) September 6, 2023
“When the Nepal government formulates your economic policies, you have to take your decisions under those circumstances,” the ambassador said while cautioning Nepal to tread cautiously with India.
Chen highlighted Nepal’s trade deficit with India and called the trade between the two neighbours “not mutually beneficial.” He said, “Last fiscal year, you exported Rs10 billion (~$75 million) [worth] of electricity to India.”
“My Nepalese friends, you imported Rs19 billion (~$142 million) of electricity from India. You had a deficit in electricity trade,” Chen noted.
In another trade comparison between India and Nepal, he underscored Nepal’s heavy reliance on India for agriculture.
The Chinese envoy mentioned that Nepal imported more than Rs7 billion (~$52.5 million) of cereals from India each month, effectively importing almost Rs100 billion (~$750 million) of agricultural products from India every year.
Making a controversial statement about the Indian economy, Chen remarked, “But we did not see any economic boom in India. Only in recent years, we see that India’s economy is starting to soar.”
Portraying India-Nepal ties in a negative light, Chen called out “India’s influence in Nepal” and pitched for better relations between China and Nepal.
Wolf-Warrior Diplomacy, China & India in Nepal
Chen’s remarks are seen as a part of China’s “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy, a term used for a new, coercive kind of Chinese diplomacy under President Xi Jinping, where Chinese diplomats are more assertive in using confrontational rhetoric.
The remarks, which have drawn considerable flak, come ahead of Nepali PM Pushpa Kumar Dahal Prachanda’s visit to China later this month.
China has emerged as a significant player in Nepal in recent years and has taken Kathmandu under its Belt and Road Initiative.
Chinese envoy to Nepal Chen Song targets India, ahead of #G20India -
— Geeta Mohan گیتا موہن गीता मोहन (@Geeta_Mohan) September 5, 2023
"India's policies towards Nepal & other neighbours are not so friendly... Unfortunately, you have a neighbor like India, but fortunately you have a neighbor like India, because India is a huge market..." pic.twitter.com/gBY00OBnuH
Some claim that China has virtually replaced India, which enjoyed extremely warm ties with the small Himalayan nation for a long time, assisting the country’s development.
Nepali Parliament to Discuss Matter
The ambassador’s remarks have been criticised, but a response from the Indian side is yet to emerge.
Nepali Foreign Minister NP Saud told the Kathmandu Post that the ministry had taken note of the Chinese envoy’s statement.
Meanwhile, the Nepali Parliament’s International Relations Committee has summoned Chen to address the controversial remarks and to discuss a code of conduct for foreign diplomats in Nepal.